Measuring Variation in Gaze Following Across Communities, Ages, and Individuals: A Showcase of TANGO-CC (Task for Assessing iNdividual differences in Gaze understanding-Open-Cross-Cultural)

Authors

Julia Christin Prein, Leuphana University of Lüneburg
Florian M. Bednarski, The University of Auckland
Ardain Dzabatou, Université Marien Ngouabi
Michael C. Frank, Stanford University
Annette M.E. Henderson, The University of Auckland
Josefine Kalbitz, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Patricia Kanngiesser, School of Psychology
Dilara Keşşafoğlu, Koc University
Bahar Köymen, University of Manchester
Maira V. Manrique-Hernandez, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Shirley Magazi, University of Namibia
Lizbeth Mújica-Manrique, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Julia Ohlendorf, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Damilola Olaoba, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Wesley R. Pieters, University of Namibia
Sarah Pope-Caldwell, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Umay Sen, Uppsala University
Katie Slocombe, University of York
Robert Z. Sparks, Stanford University
Roman Stengelin, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Jahnavi Sunderarajan, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Kirsten Sutherland, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Florence Tusiime, Budongo Conservation Field Station
Wilson Vieira, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Zhen Zhang, CAS - Institute of Psychology
Yufei Zong, CAS - Institute of Psychology
Daniel B.M. Haun, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Manuel Bohn, Leuphana University of Lüneburg

ORCID

• Patricia Kanngiesser: 0000-0003-1068-3725

Abstract

Cross-cultural studies are crucial for investigating the cultural variability and universality of cognitive developmental processes. However, cross-cultural assessment tools in cognition across languages and communities are limited. In this article, we describe a gaze-following task designed to measure basic social cognition across individuals, ages, and communities (the Task for Assessing iNdividual differences in Gaze understanding-Open-Cross-Cultural; TANGO-CC). The task was developed and psychometrically assessed in one cultural setting and, with input of local collaborators, adapted for cross-cultural data collection. Minimal language demands and the web-app implementation allow fast and easy contextual adaptations to each community. TANGO-CC captures individual- and community-level variation and shows good internal consistency in a data set of 2.5- to 11-year-old children from 17 diverse communities. Within-communities variation outweighed between-communities variation. We provide an open-source website for researchers to customize and use the task (https://ccp-odc.eva.mpg.de/tango-cc). TANGO-CC can be used to assess basic social cognition in diverse communities and provides a roadmap for researching community-level and individual-level differences across cultures.

DOI

10.1177/25152459241308170

Publication Date

2025-01-01

Publication Title

Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science

Volume

8

Issue

1

ISSN

2515-2459

Keywords

cross-cultural psychology, gaze following, individual differences, open data, open materials, reliability, social cognition

Recommended Citation

Prein, J., Bednarski, F., Dzabatou, A., Frank, M., Henderson, A., Kalbitz, J., Kanngiesser, P., Keşşafoğlu, D., Köymen, B., Manrique-Hernandez, M., Magazi, S., Mújica-Manrique, L., Ohlendorf, J., Olaoba, D., Pieters, W., Pope-Caldwell, S., Sen, U., Slocombe, K., Sparks, R., Stengelin, R., Sunderarajan, J., Sutherland, K., Tusiime, F., Vieira, W., Zhang, Z., Zong, Y., Haun, D., & Bohn, M. (2025) 'Measuring Variation in Gaze Following Across Communities, Ages, and Individuals: A Showcase of TANGO-CC (Task for Assessing iNdividual differences in Gaze understanding-Open-Cross-Cultural)', Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science, 8(1). Available at: 10.1177/25152459241308170