Baron-Cohen et Al Flashcards
What is theory of mind?
- The ability to determine the mental state of another person or ourselves. (mentalising)
- We use this knowledge to explain and predict the behaviour of other people and to understand that people may have different ideas and hold different emotions to us.
- Cognitive ability that enables us to realise others have different feelings, beliefs, knowledge and desires from our own and is often linked to empathy.
What is the ‘Reading the Mind in the Eyes’ task?
A test developed by Baron-Cohen to test adults ability to attribute emotional labels by presenting 25 sets of eyes and asked to select which word out of two was best fitting.
Why did he make a new test
To prevent ceiling effect; when a test is too easy and all participants score a very high score.
What is the aim of Baron-Cohen’s study?
- To test adults with HFA/AS on the revised eye test to see if the deficits on the original test were still seen.
- To see if there is a negative correlation between autism spectrum quotient and eyes test score.
- To see if females score higher on the test than males.
State Baron-Cohen’s 5 hypotheses.
- Participants in group 1 (HFA/AS) will score significantly lower scores on the eye test than the control group.
- Participants with ASD will score significantly higher on the AQ than the control group.
- Females in the normal groups, 2 and 3, will score higher on the eyes test than males in the same group.
- Males of group 3 will score higher on the AQ than females.
- Scores on the AQ and the eyes test would be negatively correlated.
Describe the original eye test.
- Included only 2 choices.
- Choices were always opposites.
- 25 sets of eyes.
- Included both basic and complex emotions.
- Imbalance in males and females.
- Participants may have not understood the words.
Describe the revised eye test.
- 4 choices.
- Opposites were removed.
- 36 sets of eyes.
- Only complex emotions were included.
- Equal number of male and females faces.
- Glossary added.
What was the research method in Baron-Cohen?
Laboratory experiment.
What was the experimental design in Baron-Cohen?
Independent measures design.
What is a quasi experiment?
Where participants are usually assigned to a condition based on a given characteristic.
State the IV in Baron-Cohen’s study.
The type of participant in each condition.
State the DVs in Baron-Cohen’s study.
- score on the revised eyes test.
- score on the AQ test.
- IQ for participants in the AS/HFA group and matched control condition.
Describe the sample in group 1 in Baron-Cohen’s study.
- HFA/AS adults
- 15 males
- Mean age 29.7
- Mean IQ 115
- Volunteer sampling from adverts in the UK National Autism Society magazine.
Describe the sample in group 2 in Baron-Cohen’s study.
- General population.
- 122 neurotypical adults.
- Mean age 46.5
- From communities of Exeter and Cambridge.
Describe the sample in group 3 in Baron-Cohen’s study.
- Students
- 103 undergraduates from Cambridge university.
- Mean age 20.8
- Assumed to have high IQ due to the high entry requirements.
Describe the sample in group 4 in Baron-Cohen’s study.
- IQ matched control
- 14 randomly selected from general population.
- Mean age 28
- Mean IQ 116
- Matched age and IQ to group 1
How was the revised eye test developed?
- Two authors started with 40 sets of eyes; created a target word and 3 foils words for each.
- At least 5 out of 8 judges had to correctly choose the target word for the item to pass.
- No more than 2 judges could choose the same foil word.
Describe the testings in Baron-Cohen’s study.
- Group 1 was asked to additionally determine the gender of the eyes as a control tasks.
- All participants except group 2 were asked to complete the AQ test at home and return it.
State the controls in Baron-Cohen’s study.
- Each participant took the test with a researcher in a quiet room either in Exeter or Cambridge.
- Each read through a glossary to ensure they knew the meaning of the given words.
- Each was shown a practice items, followed by the sets of eyes and then the 4 choices to pick from.
- All consented to take part in the study and were aware of the aim.
What are the results of Baron-Cohen’s study?
- Group 1 performed significantly worse on the eyes test than all other groups and significantly higher on the AQ.
- Females scored higher than males on the eye test in the adult and student comparison.
- Males scored higher than females on the AQ in the student comparison.
- There was no correlation between eyes test score and IQ.
- There was a negative correlation between AQ score and eyes test score.
State the data of Baron-Cohen’s study results.
EYE TEST
- Group 1: 21.9
- Group 2: 26.2
- Group 3: 28
- Group 4: 30.9
AQ TEST
- Group 1: 34.4
- Group 3: 18.3
- Group 4: 18.9
State the conclusions of Baron-Cohen’s study.
- The revised eye test was successful in being a more sensitive test for adult social intelligence than the original test.
- Neurotypical adults scored significantly below the ceiling allowing the test to be a more subtle measure of individual differences.
- Adults with HFA/AS were impaired on the test but could still identify the gender of eyes.
- Validates the test as a useful way to detect subtle impairments in social intelligence for those with normal IQs.
