baron cohen et al.(eyes test/theory of mind) Flashcards
What was the aim of the Baron-Cohen et al. (2001) study?
To investigate whether adults with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) have deficits in Theory of Mind (ToM) using a revised ‘Reading the Mind in the Eyes’ Test.
What is Theory of Mind (ToM)?
The ability to understand and infer other people’s thoughts, feelings, intentions, and perspectives.
What type of research method and experimental design were used in the study?
Quasi-experiment with an independent measures design.
How many groups were involved in the study and what were their details?
Four groups:
- Group 1: 15 adults with ASD
- Group 2: 122 general population adults
- Group 3: 103 high IQ adults
- Group 4: 14 adults with Tourette Syndrome.
What was the procedure for the Eyes Test?
Participants were shown 36 black-and-white photos of eye regions, each paired with four mental state terms. They selected the one that best matched the image.
how were the images “operationalized”?
Each image was cropped to show only the eye region. Photos were carefully balanced for gender.
What were the answer choices for each image in the Eyes Test?
For each image, four descriptors were printed, and the participant selected the best match.
What was included in the extra procedure for practice examples?
Participants were given practice examples with feedback before the real test began.
Was there a strict time limit for the Eyes Test?
No strict time limit, but the test was done at a steady pace in one sitting.
What control tasks were used in the study? (2)
- Gender Recognition Task.
- Basic Emotion Recognition Task.
what other tests did the participants take?
autism quotient test (AQ) to assess autistic traits
what were the results of each group on the eyes test?
ASD group: 21.9
general population: 26.2
high IQ group: 30.9
matched group: 31.7
what were the results for the ASD group?
they showed ToM deficits
what were some strengths of the study ?
- high reliability of comparison between the groups - high control and objective measurement
what were some weaknesses of the study?
low ecological validity - lab experiment
small unrepresentative ASD sample - only men, only 15
what ethical guidelines were followed?
informed consent was obtained
participants had the right to withdraw at all times
low risk of any physical or psychological harm
how could the findings be applied in real life?
- AI and human-computer interaction: training AI systems in emotion recognition to help people with autism - e.g.: emotion interpretation apps or smart glasses
- improvement in workplace environment: using findings from the study to improve workplace conditions for neurodivergent people
explain the gender recognition task (purpose, procedure)
purpose: to limit gender discrimination errors and increasing generalizability
procedure: instead of selecting the mental state of the 36 eye pairs they had to choose whether they were male/female
explain the basic emotion recognition task (purpose, procedure)
purpose: to ensure participants could recognize basic emotions like happy, sad, angry, fearful or disgust - simpler than the complex states of the eyes test
procedure: participants got full-face photographs depicting one of the six basic emotions
