Title |
Emotional Resonance Deficits in Autistic Children
|
---|---|
Published in |
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, July 2012
|
DOI | 10.1007/s10803-012-1603-z |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Alessandro Grecucci, Paolo Brambilla, Roma Siugzdaite, Danielle Londero, Franco Fabbro, Raffaella Ida Rumiati |
Abstract |
According to some theories imitation, defined as an action resonance mechanism, is deficient in autism. In contrast, other theories (e.g., the "top down control of imitation" hypothesis) state that the problem is not in imitation per se but in the way social cues modulate imitative responses. In this study, 15 high-functioning children with autism and 15 matched controls were tested for their ability to imitate finger movements preceded by neutral and emotional facial expressions (primes) in a stimulus-response compatibility task. Hand movements performed after neutral expressions did not differ between the two groups (i.e., they both showed a normal imitative tendency). However, hand movements performed after emotional expressions significantly differed between the two populations, with controls, but not autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), showing enhanced imitation in the emotional condition. This study supports the view that, in ASD, imitation abilities are spared but they are not modulated according to the emotional and social context. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Unknown | 1 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Members of the public | 1 | 100% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Italy | 2 | 1% |
United Kingdom | 2 | 1% |
Spain | 2 | 1% |
Australia | 1 | <1% |
Switzerland | 1 | <1% |
United States | 1 | <1% |
Unknown | 129 | 93% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Ph. D. Student | 24 | 17% |
Student > Master | 24 | 17% |
Researcher | 22 | 16% |
Student > Bachelor | 18 | 13% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 9 | 7% |
Other | 21 | 15% |
Unknown | 20 | 14% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Psychology | 49 | 36% |
Social Sciences | 14 | 10% |
Neuroscience | 12 | 9% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 10 | 7% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 6 | 4% |
Other | 19 | 14% |
Unknown | 28 | 20% |