2010 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Working memory capacity as a basis for perspective-taking.

Research Project

Project/Area Number	21730495
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Social psychology
Research Institution	Tohoku Fukushi University
Principal Investigator	YOSHIDA Ayano Tohoku Fukushi University, 総合福祉学部, 講師 (10367576)
Project Period (FY)	2009 – 2010
Keywords	ワーキングメモリ / パースペクティブテイキング / 共感 / ステレオタイプ
Research Abstract	Perspective taking is understanding a situation from the standpoint of others. Perspective taking involves one's ability to distribute attentional resources and thus, it is associated with working memory capacity. The ability to distribute attentional resources differs individually. Participants with a poor working memory presented with anxiety and agitation when they were asked to put themselves in the shoes of another, unfortunate person. Participants with a poor working memory capacity were able to reduce their stereotypical evaluation of others when they attempted to understand the situation from others' viewpoint. For a person with ample working memory, making a conscious effort to avoid stereotypical evaluations appeared to decrease their stereotypical evaluations.

(4 results)