baron-cohen (1997)- autism in adults

Question 1

research method

Answer 1

• This was a quasi/natural experiment because the independent variable (IV) – the type of person likely to have TOM deficits (adults with
high-functioning autism/AS, normal adults and adults with Tourette Syndrome) – was naturally occurring so could not be manipulated or
controlled by the researchers. The dependent variable (DV) was the performance – score out of 25 – on the Eyes Task; measured by showing
each participant 25, black and white, standardised photographs of the eye region of faces (male and female) and asking them to make a forced
choice between two mental state words (target and foil) to best describe what the person in the photograph was feeling or thinking.
The study used an independent measures design. All participants were considered to be of normal intelligence

Question 2

sample

Answer 2

3 groups of p’s were tested
- group 1- 16 individuals with high functioning autism or asperger syndrome
Group 2: 50 normal age-matched adults (25m:25f ), drawn from the subject panel of the university department compromising of the general
population of Cambridge (excluding members of the university).
- Group 3: 10 adults with Tourette Syndrome also age-matched with groups 1 and 2. The sex ratio was 8:2 (m:f ). All were of normal intelligence
and were recruited from a tertiary referral centre in London

Question 3

outline- procedure

Answer 3

The Eyes task, the Strange Stories and the two control tasks (Gender Recognition of Eyes Task, Basic Recognition Task) were presented in
random order to all participants.
• The Gender Recognition Task involved identifying the gender of the eyes used in the Eyes Task. The task controlled for face perception,
perceptual discrimination and social perception. The Basic Emotion Recognition Task involved judging photographs of whole faces displaying
basic emotions identified by Ekman (1992). The task was done to check whether difficulties on the Eyes Task were due to difficulties with basic
emotional recognition. The Strange Stories Task was used to validate the results from the Eyes Task.
• Participants were tested individually in a quiet room either in their own home, in the researchers’ clinic or in the researchers’ laboratory at
Cambridge University

Question 4

conclusions

Answer 4

Contrary to previous research with adults, these results seem to provide evidence that adults with autism/AS do possess an impaired theory of
mind.
• As some of the autism/AS group hold university degrees and were all of normal intelligence, it is reasonable to suggest that TOM deficits are
independent of general intelligence.