Does the Autistic Child Have a 'Theory of Mind'?

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Nisha Ghei        Page  of         Psychology

Baron-Cohen, Leslie& Frith (1985):

Does the Autistic Child Have a ‘Theory of Mind’?

(Cognition, 21; 37, 46)

Background

According to Baron-Cohen, the core feature of autism has to do with the autistic person’s characteristic way of understanding other people (social-cognitive).  He argues that most autistic people do not develop a ‘theory of mind’, i.e. they do not understand that people, including themselves, have different thoughts and beliefs about the world.

Characteristics of autism include:

  • A deficiency in communication
  • A deficiency in social relationships
  • A deficiency for flexible thoughts
  • A tendency to lack a theory of mind

The full implications of this are not yet completely obvious, but social relationships are based on peoples’ beliefs about other peoples’ beliefs, thus making us able to anticipate what other people are likely to do.

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The Study

A task is set up where the subjects can only succeed if they are able to attribute a belief state to another person- The Sally-Anne test; a test of false belief.  Children developing ‘normally’ can succeed at 4 or 5 years

Subjects

3 groups of children:                CA                VMA

20 autistic                           11;11                  5;5

14 Downs syndrome                  10:11                 2;11

27 ‘normal’                        4;5         ...

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