Baron-Cohen Flashcards
What was the aim of BC’s study?
To test weather high-functioning adults sutras autism and Asperger syndrome would struggle with a new and more difficult test of theory of mind. This new test, known as the Eyes Task involves reading emotion from photographs of eyes
What 2 conditions were people results on the autism spectrum matched to?
People with Tourette’s and one with no clinical condition.
Describe the autism group in BC study
Consisted of 13 men and three women of normal intelligence and with a diagnosis of high-functioning autism or Asperger syndrome. They were a volunteer sam[e recruited through their doctors and in response to an advert in the National Autistic society’s magazine.
Describe the control group and Tourette’s group in BC study
The control group was made up of 25 men and 25 women with no autism. There was no test of IQ, but it was assumed they were of normal intelligence. In the Tourette’s group there were 8 men and 2 women.
Why was it important that there was a second control group of Tourette’s syndrome in BC study?
Has several key elements in common with autism such as: It exists in childhood and causes disruption to peer relations. Like autism, t is also believed to be associated with a biological problem in the frontal lobes of the brain. If TOM deficit s a problem specifically with autism, as opposed to being the result of a childhood disrupted by a psychological condition, the autism group would be expected to fo worse on the Eyes task than the control group.
Briefly describe the procedure in BC study
Ps were shown 25 black-and-white photographs of eyes for 3 seconds each , and asked to choose between 2 mental states represented by the photographs.
What were the control tasks and why were they done in BC study?
All ps were asked to complete 2 control tasks to eliminate the possibility that the autism group simply had a visual problems that meant they couldn’t process photographs. These were a gender recognition task, in which ps had to identify the elder of the eyes and a basic emotion recognition task, in which ps had to identify basic emotions shown in photographs of whole faces.
How was the eyes task validated in BC study
Ps in the autism and Tourette’s group also took another quite difficult test: Happe’s strange stories. If eyes task really measures theory f mind ability, then those who struggle with it should also score less well in the strange stories test.
What is Happe’s strange stories?
A fairly advanced test for theory of mind, aimed at older children. It involves asking children questions about the emotions and intentions of characters in unfamiliar stories.
Give some results from BC study
Mean score out of 25: Autism-16.3, None-20.3, Tourette’s-20.4.
No ps in the Tourette’s group were incorrect in any of their strange stories responses, but the autism group struggled. The fact that the same ps struggled with the Eyes task band the strange stories is evidence for the validity of the Eyes task.
What conclusions were given in BC study?
-Even high-functioning adults with autism, including those with Asperger syndrome, have a significant problem with the TOM. In other words they find it hard to read mental states in other people. This supports the idea that TOM deficit is central to understanding autism, and mighty even directly cause its main symptoms.
-The eyes task is a valid test of TOM suitable for high functioning adults with autism.
What is the key theme of Baron-Cohen’s study?
Understanding disorders
From the study by Baron-Cohen et al on autism, identify one of the word pairs in the ‘Eyes Task’.
Concerned and unconcerned
Certain and Uncertain
Calm and Anxious
