The Importance of Social Thinking

Social thinking is essential for understanding social interactions and maintaining friendships. Unlike traditional social skills, which focus on memorizing specific behaviors, social thinking emphasizes the thought processes that underlie these interactions. This approach encourages children to consider their own and others' thoughts, emotions, and intentions, fostering a deeper social understanding. For instance, rather than just learning to make eye contact, children are taught to think about how their eye contact affects others and what they might be communicating through it.