Baron-Cohen

Question 1

What is theory of mind?

Answer 1

The ability to attribute mental states to oneself and other people

Question 2

Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Answer 2

group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterised, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviours.

Question 3

High Functioning Autism

Answer 3

type of autism where the person has a higher IQ (above 70), so can function at a higher level than others with autism. The only difference between those with HFA and Aspergers is just slightly more delayed speech in HFA

Question 4

Compensatory Strategies

Answer 4

a strategy a person with autism uses to compensate for their lack of Theory of Mind so that their behaviour is normal

Question 5

Asperger’s Syndrome

Answer 5

an ASD. Similar problems with social interaction, and obsessively repetitive patterns of behaviour. BUT differs from other ASDs because it involves relatively normal linguistic and cognitive development.

Question 6

Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test

Answer 6

an advanced theory of mind test that is sensitive to subtle dysfunction due to compensatory strategies learnt by adults with HFA and AS.

Question 7

What was the ceiling effect found in the 1997 Eyes Test?

Answer 7

PPs achieved scores that were too high, as the test was too easy, resulting in difficulties in seeing individual differences in Autistic tendencies.

Question 8

What was the aim of the study?

Answer 8

1. To see if the new (“revised”) eyes test works to assess social impairment
2. To see if AQ (autism quotient) score has an inverse correlation with the Eyes Test score
3. To test if females have better Theory of Mind than males (scored better on eyes test)

Question 9

What were the flaws within the previous research?

Answer 9

• Did not reveal huge different between those diagnosed with autism and those who were not
• Mostly female faces
• Some too easy (lead to ceiling effect)

Question 10

What is the background of the study?

Answer 10

• To develop an advanced ToM test
• To improve on the previous 1997 Eyes Test
• there are few tests that can measure if adult with normal intelligence may have a mild deficit in social understanding
• has been some tests for face perception for brain damage patient, but their dysfunctions are gross rather than subtle

Question 11

What are the hypotheses?

Answer 11

• The AS/HFA group would score significantly lower on the Eyes Test, but be unimpaired on the gender control judgements.
• The AS/HFA group would score significantly higher in the AQ
• Females in the “normal” groups (2 and 3) would score higher than males on the Eyes Test
• Males in the “normal” group (3) would score higher than females on the AQ
• Scores on the AQ and the Eyes Test would be inversely correlated

Question 12

What is the method? What questionnaires are used?

Answer 12

• Self reports & questionnaire
  2 questionnaires to measure autism and ‘theory of mind’
  Revised eyes test
  Autistic Quotient

Question 13

How was the correct target word for each set of eyes decided? (pilot study)

Answer 13

225 ppl pick target and foil words
8 judges, 4 males, 4 females
5 of them had to agree on the words that was the most suitable description for each stimulus (eyes)
If no more than 2 judges picked, the word is not used

Question 14

What was the experimental design?

Answer 14

Independent group & matched pairs

Question 15

What was the IV?

Answer 15

• whether participants had autism or not

- ‘Normal’ participants were male or female

Question 16

What was the DV?

Answer 16

• Eyes test

- AQ

Question 17

What was the sampling technique?

Answer 17

Opportunity sample

Group 1 - AS/HFA adults x 15 (all males) - recruited via adverts in the UK National Autistic Society magazine

Group 2 - General population controls (normal adults) x 122 - adult community and education classes in Exeter / public library users in Cambridge

Group 3 - normal adults undergraduates at Cambridge x 103

Group 4 - IQ-matched controls x 14

Question 18

What was the procedure? (5 steps)

Answer 18

Pilot study
Glossary
Setting for the eyes test
Revised eyes test
AQ test

Question 19

Describe the revised eyes test

Answer 19

36 sets of eyes, equal male/female, each with four choices of emotion. No time limit for completion. Standardised for all PPs (all saw the same eyes)

Question 20

Describe the setting

Answer 20

All PPs did Eyes Test individually in a quiet room in either Cambridge or Exeter.

Question 21

Describe the glossary

Answer 21

before the Eyes Test, PPs were asked to read through the glossary and indicate any words they were unsure of, and to read their meanings in the glossary. They were told they could refer to this glossary at any point.

Question 22

What are the controls?

Answer 22

Matched pps in G1 and G4 in terms of IQ

Ask pps in G1 to identify gender - to ensure the difference in score is not due to gender identification

Glossary

Question 23

What are the results?

Answer 23

same as their hypotheses

Question 24

Give 2 strengths of the study

Answer 24

• carried out in a lab, standardised procedure, high reliability
• improved from the 1997 version, more difficult, reduced ceiling effect, high internal validity

Question 25

Give 2 weaknesses of the study

Answer 25

- self report, pps might be embarrassed, low internal validity - static picture of eyes, low ecological validity

Question 26

Describe the sample in group 2

Answer 26

- normal adults drawn from adult community and education classes in Exeter, or public library users in Cambridge - unemployment - professional - no education - college degree

Question 27

social cognition

Answer 27

how people process, store and apply information about other people and social situations