by Rebecca Saxe about how we read other’s minds.

 Rebecca Saxe studies how we think about other people's thoughts. At the Saxelab at MIT, she uses fMRI to identify what happens in our brains when we consider the motives, passions and beliefs of others.

Sensing the motives and feelings of others is a natural talent for humans. But how do we do it? In this speech, Rebecca Saxe shares fascinating lab work that uncovers how the brain thinks about other peoples' thoughts -- and judges their actions.

In her speech, she mentions that there is a part of brain that do the work to figure out others thought. It’s called the Right Temporo-Parietal Junction.

The second thing talked by Rebecca is the brain system. Although we adults are really good in understanding other minds, we were not always that way. It really takes time for children to develop.

She talks about the change of minds of people when growing older n older in understanding others mind.

She gave an example of the understanding others in children btw age 3, 5 and 7.

The story of a pirate name Ivan put his favorites cheese sandwich on the pirate chest n went away to get a drink. Suddenly a wind blows n Ivan’s sandwich is blew to the grass. Then, another pirate call Joshua came n put his cheese sandwich on the pirate chest n went away to get a drink too. When Ivan came back, he took the sandwich on the pirate chest that is belongs to Joshua.

The question is: was Ivan to be blame for taking the others sandwich?

The 3-year old boy thinks that Ivan is to blame not to take his sandwich and the boy think that Ivan is to avoid taking the dirty sandwich which is his.

While the 5year old boy understand that he will take the sandwich but he think Ivan should be blame too although he doesn’t know.

Lastly, the 7 year old boy thinks that the wind should be blame that the wind exchanges the sandwich.

Children have their own understanding but still differ from adult using their right TPJ.

First, I think this is a successful speech. The speaker has a good gesture and keeps eye contact with the audience. Her tone was soft. The audiences often laugh throughout the speech.

I agree with Rebecca especially on this paragraph.

“We have a special brain system that lets us think about what other people are thinking. This system takes a long time to develop, slowly throughout the course of childhood and into early adolescence. And even in adulthood, differences in this brain region can explain differences among adults in how we think about and judge other people.”

I really think that this is a successful speech n I agree with Rebecca Saxe.

--JOEY--