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Feng S, Ding L, Wang M, Zhang J, Yuan Y, Zhang P, Bai X. Can similarity of autistic traits promote neural synchronization? Exp Brain Res 2024; 242:2633-2644. [PMID: 39320438 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-024-06919-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 09/02/2024] [Indexed: 09/26/2024]
Abstract
People with similar levels of autistic traits are reported to exhibit better interactions than those with larger differences in autistic traits. However, whether this "similarity effect" exists at the neural level remains unclear. To address this gap, the present study employed functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) hyperscanning technology to assess inter-brain synchronization (IBS) during naturalistic conversations among dyads with three types of autistic trait combinations (20 high-high, 22 high-low, and 18 low-low dyads). The results revealed that the high-high dyads exhibited significantly lower IBS in the right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ) region compared to the low-low dyads, with no significant differences observed between the high-low group and the other two groups. Moreover, though dyadic differences in conversation satisfaction were positively correlated with dyadic autistic trait differences, IBS only showed a significant negative correlation with the dyadic average autistic trait scores and no significant correlation with the dyadic difference scores of autistic traits. These findings suggest that dyads with high autistic traits may have shared feelings about conversations, but cannot produce IBS through successful mutual prediction and understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyuan Feng
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
| | - Lin Ding
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
| | - Mingliang Wang
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jianing Zhang
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuqing Yuan
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China.
- Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387, China.
- Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China.
| | - Xuejun Bai
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
- Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387, China
- Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
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Atherton G, Hathaway R, Visuri I, Cross L. A critical hit: Dungeons and Dragons as a buff for autistic people. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2024:13623613241275260. [PMID: 39166536 DOI: 10.1177/13623613241275260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) are popular hobbies that may offer specific social benefits for autistic people. This study investigated the ability of TTRPGs to provide a safe space where autistic adults could develop relationships with other autistic adults while engaging in character and world-building. A group of eight autistic adults were split into two groups and taken through a short-form online Dungeons and Dragons campaign over 6 weeks run by one of the researchers. The researcher then led a series of individual semi-structured interviews discussing how participants felt interacting in and out of the TTRPG. Several key themes were identified as important aspects of why autistic people could benefit from such an environment. Analysis showed that while real-life interactions could be challenging, in TTRPG play, they felt they experienced significantly fewer struggles. Results suggested that TTRPGs can provide a safe space environment where autistic adults can engage in productive social interactions with like-minded individuals. It also may allow autistic participants to experience 'bleed' or the ability to take on a new character that changes the way they feel about themselves outside of the game. Future directions for this work are discussed.
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Glass D, Yuill N. Moving Together: Social Motor Synchrony in Autistic Peer Partners Depends on Partner and Activity Type. J Autism Dev Disord 2024; 54:2874-2890. [PMID: 37310543 PMCID: PMC11300670 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-05917-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Some suggest autistic people display impaired Interpersonal Synchrony. However, partners of different neurotypes can struggle to connect and empathise with one another. We used Motion Energy Analysis to examine Social Motor Synchrony (SMS) in familiar partners of the same neurotype: pairs of autistic and of neurotypical children. Partners played two shared tablet activities, one to support collaboration by facilitating engagement and other-awareness (Connect), and one with no additional design features to facilitate collaboration (Colours). The neurotypical group showed similar SMS to the autistic group in Colours but lower SMS in Connect. The autistic group displayed similar levels of SMS in each activity. Autistic children can synchronise to a similar, or greater, degree than neurotypical children when the social context and type of task are considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devyn Glass
- University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9QJ, England, UK.
| | - Nicola Yuill
- University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9QJ, England, UK
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Funawatari R, Sumiya M, Iwabuchi T, Nishimura T, Komeda H, Senju A. Camouflaging in Autistic Adults is Modulated by Autistic and Neurotypical Characteristics of Interaction Partners. J Autism Dev Disord 2024:10.1007/s10803-024-06481-5. [PMID: 39042236 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-024-06481-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
Many autistic people reportedly engage in camouflaging to navigate everyday social interactions; however, the function of this behavior remains largely unknown. We hypothesized that autistic people camouflage more toward neurotypical others than toward autistic others, employing it as a strategy to "fit in" within the neurotypical-majority community. This study aimed to empirically investigate this hypothesis for the first time. Autistic and neurotypical participants took part in a web-based survey. Data from 48 autistic and 137 neurotypical participants were analyzed. Camouflaging toward autistic and neurotypical others was separately measured using the modified Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q). For each CAT-Q item, a sentence describing a hypothetical interaction partner with autistic or neurotypical characteristics was added, creating respective sentence conditions. The interaction effect of the participants' characteristics and sentence conditions was analyzed using a multilevel regression analysis, accounting for differing individual baselines. The analysis revealed an interaction effect between participants' characteristics and sentence conditions. The autistic group showed significantly more camouflaging in the autistic sentence condition than in the neurotypical sentence condition. Conversely, the neurotypical group did not differ significantly in camouflaging levels in the sentence conditions. Contrary to our hypothesis, autistic people demonstrated more camouflaging toward autistic others than toward neurotypical others. This finding questions the assumption that autistic people camouflage to assimilate into a neurotypical-majority society. Instead, it could be conceptualized as a more general social strategy used by autistic people aiming to improve their relationships with others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ren Funawatari
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University, University of Fukui, Osaka, Japan
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Motofumi Sumiya
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University, University of Fukui, Osaka, Japan
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Toshiki Iwabuchi
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University, University of Fukui, Osaka, Japan
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Tomoko Nishimura
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University, University of Fukui, Osaka, Japan
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Hidetsugu Komeda
- College of Education, Psychology and Human Studies, Aoyama Gakuin University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsushi Senju
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University, University of Fukui, Osaka, Japan.
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan.
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Glass D, Yuill N. Evidence of mutual non-verbal synchrony in learners with severe learning disability and autism, and their support workers: a motion energy analysis study. Front Integr Neurosci 2024; 18:1353966. [PMID: 39055283 PMCID: PMC11269261 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1353966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Some research indicates that neurodivergent people are less likely than "neurotypical" people to adapt their movements to a partner's movements to facilitate interpersonal motor synchrony. Researchers therefore suggest synchrony deficits underlie the social differences associated with autism and other neurodivergences. Intensive Interaction (II) is a client-led approach, where Learning Support Workers (LSW) follow the lead of learners to create balanced and reciprocal interactions. Methods We aimed to examine the balance of synchrony in learners with autism and Severe Learning Disabilities and their LSWs in a special education college where learners had prior experience with II. Using Motion Energy Analysis, we assessed the degree to which each partner acted as a leader, and hence which partner acted as a follower, during moments of close synchrony. Results Overall, learners and LSWs showed higher than chance synchrony. There were no differences in the degree to which each partner led the moments of synchrony, or the amount pairs synchronized with zero-lag, where there was no delay between each partners' movements. Discussion The equal balance of leading and following in the learner and LSW pairs demonstrates that both partners consistently adapted their movements to their partner's movements to facilitate synchrony. The findings tentatively challenge the notion of a synchrony deficit in autism and suggest synchrony can be present in cross-neurotype pairs in comfortable and engaging conditions. We discuss the potential for client-led, movement-based approaches to support smooth interactions across neurotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devyn Glass
- Children and Technology Lab, School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola Yuill
- The Children and Technology Lab, Autism Community Research Network Sussex, School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
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Glass D, Yuill N. Social motor synchrony in autism spectrum conditions: A systematic review. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2024; 28:1638-1653. [PMID: 38014541 PMCID: PMC11193327 DOI: 10.1177/13623613231213295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT When two people interact, they often fall into sync with one another by moving their bodies at the same time. Some say autistic people are not as good as non-autistic people at moving at the same time as a partner. This has led some researchers to ask whether measuring synchrony might help diagnose autism. We reviewed the research so far to look at differences in Social Motor Synchrony (SMS) (the way we move together) between autistic people and people they interact with. The research suggests that interactions involving an autistic partner (either two autistic partners, or an autistic and non-autistic partner) show lower synchrony than a non-autistic pair. However, we recognised elements in the research so far that may have affected SMS in interactions involving an autistic person. One way SMS may have been affected in research so far might be the way interactions have been set up in the research studies. Few papers studied interactions between two autistic people or looked at synchrony in comfortable environments with autistic-preferred tasks. The studies also do not explain why synchrony might be different, or weaker, in pairs involving autistic partners. We use these limitations to suggest improvements for future research.
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Moffat R, Roos L, Casale C, Cross ES. Dyadic body competence predicts movement synchrony during the mirror game. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1401494. [PMID: 38962145 PMCID: PMC11220161 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1401494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The process of synchronizing our body movements with others is known to enhance rapport, affect, and prosociality. Furthermore, emerging evidence suggests that synchronizing activities may enhance cognitive performance. Unknown, by contrast, is the extent to which people's individual traits and experiences influence their ability to achieve and maintain movement synchrony with another person, which is key for unlocking the social and affective benefits of movement synchrony. Here, we take a dyad-centered approach to gain a deeper understanding of the role of embodiment in achieving and maintaining movement synchrony. Using existing data, we explored the relationship between body competence and body perception scores at the level of the dyad, and the dyad's movement synchrony and complexity while playing a 2.5-min movement mirroring game. The data revealed that dyadic body competence scores positively correlate with movement synchrony, but not complexity, and that dyadic body perception scores are not associated with movement synchrony or complexity. Movement synchrony was greater when the more experienced member of the dyad was responsible for copying movements. Finally, movement synchrony and complexity were stable across the duration of the mirror game. These findings show that movement synchrony is sensitive to the composition of the dyad involved, specifically the dyad's embodiment, illuminating the value of dyadic approaches to understanding body movements in social contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryssa Moffat
- Professorship for Social Brain Sciences, ETH, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Leonie Roos
- Institute of Cognitive Science, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Courtney Casale
- School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Emily S. Cross
- Professorship for Social Brain Sciences, ETH, Zurich, Switzerland
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Cheang RT, Skjevling M, Blakemore AI, Kumari V, Puzzo I. Do you feel me? Autism, empathic accuracy and the double empathy problem. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2024:13623613241252320. [PMID: 38757626 DOI: 10.1177/13623613241252320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT The assumption that autistic people lack empathy, particularly imagining how others feel, has been much debated and is now being challenged by an alternative view: the 'double empathy problem'. This suggests that non-autistic people may find it equally difficult to imagine how autistic people feel. Although this perspective is gaining popularity, research testing whether non-autistic people can accurately imagine and feel an autistic person's emotions is still limited. Our study used video clips of autistic and non-autistic people recounting emotional events to test if participants from the general population could: track the intensity of the narrators' emotions; name and feel the same emotion; match where the narrator felt the emotion and indicate how intensely they felt the emotion using a body map. Our results show that participants found it significantly harder to track autistic narrators' emotions compared to non-autistic narrator's emotions, especially when viewing clips of narrators feeling happy and sad. We also found that participants felt emotions more intensely in the body when viewing clips of autistic narrators compared to non-autistic narrators, especially when describing anger and fear. These findings support the double empathy problem and have strong implications for therapeutic and interpersonal relationships with autistic people.
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Forbes PA, Chaliani I, Schilbach L, Kalenscher T. Autistic adults show enhanced generosity to socially distant others. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2024; 28:999-1009. [PMID: 37606240 DOI: 10.1177/13623613231190674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Autistic people show differences in their social behaviour. But how autism affects decisions to share resources, an important part of cooperation, was previously unclear. In our study, participants made decisions about how to share money with different people, including people they felt close to, such as a friend, and people they felt less close to, such as a stranger. We found that compared to a group of non-autistic participants, autistic adults shared more money overall and this was driven by greater generosity to strangers. The results suggest that autistic adults were more generous because they made fair decisions (an equal split of the money) more consistently regardless of how close they felt to the person they were sharing with. By showing that autistic adults display greater generosity, our results could help to change public perceptions of autism and potentially improve opportunities for autistic people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Ag Forbes
- Institute of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Irini Chaliani
- LVR-Klinikum Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Leonhard Schilbach
- LVR-Klinikum Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München, Germany
| | - Tobias Kalenscher
- Institute of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
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Alkhaldi RS, Sheppard E, Ellerby Z, Burdett ERR, Mitchell P. The relationship between autistic traits, expressiveness, readability and social perceptions. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301003. [PMID: 38547154 PMCID: PMC10977699 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
This study investigated the relationship between autistic traits, expressiveness, readability (both actual and perceived), social favourability, and likability. Sixty participants designated as 'targets' were video recorded in a range of social scenarios and their autistic traits were measured using the Autism Spectrum Quotient. The videos were then shown to 106 new participants designated 'perceivers', who were split into three groups to make judgments related to readability, expressiveness, and social favourability respectively. Mediation analyses revealed that autistic traits negatively impacted both perceived likeability and social favourability, mediated by lowered expressiveness. Autistic traits also directly impacted readability, which was not mediated by expressiveness. The findings show how the level of autistic traits of a target can influence how they are socially perceived by others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rabi Samil Alkhaldi
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
- Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Elizabeth Sheppard
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Zack Ellerby
- School of Computer Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | | | - Peter Mitchell
- School of Social Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, United Kingdom
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McNaughton KA, Moss A, Yarger HA, Redcay E. Smiling synchronization predicts interaction enjoyment in peer dyads of autistic and neurotypical youth. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2024; 28:13623613241238269. [PMID: 38497277 PMCID: PMC11408708 DOI: 10.1177/13623613241238269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT For autistic and neurotypical youth, having positive social interactions with other youth is an important part of well-being. Other researchers have found that one factor that can make people feel like social interactions have gone well is synchronization. Synchronization happens when peoples' body movements and facial expressions align while they're interacting. We focus on smiling synchronization here because other studies have found that when neurotypical individuals synchronize their smiles more in a social interaction, they say they enjoy that social interaction more. However, no studies have directly tested whether smiling synchrony influences social interaction enjoyment in autistic and neurotypical youth. We measured smiling synchrony in pairs of interacting autistic and neurotypical youth who were meeting each other for the first time. Some pairs were autistic youth interacting with other autistic youth (autistic with autistic participant pairs), some pairs were autistic youth interacting with neurotypical youth (autistic with neurotypical participant pairs), and other pairs were neurotypical youth interacting with neurotypical youth (neurotypical with neurotypical participant pairs). We found that autistic with neurotypical participant pairs had lower smiling synchrony than neurotypical with neurotypical participant pairs. Youth who were in dyads that had more smiling synchrony said they enjoyed interacting with their partner more and that they wanted to interact with their partner again. Our research shows that smiling synchrony is one part of interactions between autistic and neurotypical youth that influences how well youth say the interaction went. Identifying natural opportunities for autistic and neurotypical youth to share positive feelings could be one way to promote positive social interactions between autistic and neurotypical youth.
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Carnevali L, Valori I, Mason G, Altoè G, Farroni T. Interpersonal motor synchrony in autism: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1355068. [PMID: 38439792 PMCID: PMC10909819 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1355068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Interpersonal motor synchrony (IMS) is the spontaneous, voluntary, or instructed coordination of movements between interacting partners. Throughout the life cycle, it shapes social exchanges and interplays with intra- and inter-individual characteristics that may diverge in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Here we perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the extant literature and quantify the evidence about reduced IMS in dyads including at least one participant with a diagnosis of ASD. Methods Empirical evidence from sixteen experimental studies was systematically reviewed, encompassing spontaneous and instructed paradigms as well as a paucity of measures used to assess IMS. Of these, thirteen studies (n = 512 dyads) contributed measures of IMS with an in situ neurotypical partner (TD) for ASD and control groups, which could be used for meta-analyses. Results Reduced synchronization in ASD-TD dyads emerged from both the systematic review and meta-analyses, although both small and large effect sizes (i.e., Hedge's g) in favor of the control group are consistent with the data (Hedge's g = .85, p < 0.001, 95% CI[.35, 1.35], 95% PI[-.89, 2.60]). Discussion Uncertainty is discussed relative to the type of task, measures, and age range considered in each study. We further discuss that sharing similar experiences of the world might help to synchronize with one another. Future studies should not only assess whether reduced IMS is consistently observed in ASD-TD dyads and how this shapes social exchanges, but also explore whether and how ASD-ASD dyads synchronize during interpersonal exchanges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Carnevali
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Irene Valori
- Chair of Acoustics and Haptics, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Centre for Tactile Internet with Human-in-the-Loop (CeTI), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Giorgia Mason
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Gianmarco Altoè
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Teresa Farroni
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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Hsu CT, Sato W, Yoshikawa S. An investigation of the modulatory effects of empathic and autistic traits on emotional and facial motor responses during live social interactions. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0290765. [PMID: 38194416 PMCID: PMC10775989 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
A close relationship between emotional contagion and spontaneous facial mimicry has been theoretically proposed and is supported by empirical data. Facial expressions are essential in terms of both emotional and motor synchrony. Previous studies have demonstrated that trait emotional empathy enhanced spontaneous facial mimicry, but the relationship between autistic traits and spontaneous mimicry remained controversial. Moreover, previous studies presented faces that were static or videotaped, which may lack the "liveliness" of real-life social interactions. We addressed this limitation by using an image relay system to present live performances and pre-recorded videos of smiling or frowning dynamic facial expressions to 94 healthy female participants. We assessed their subjective experiential valence and arousal ratings to infer the amplitude of emotional contagion. We measured the electromyographic activities of the zygomaticus major and corrugator supercilii muscles to estimate spontaneous facial mimicry. Individual differences measures included trait emotional empathy (empathic concern) and the autism-spectrum quotient. We did not find that live performances enhanced the modulatory effect of trait differences on emotional contagion or spontaneous facial mimicry. However, we found that a high trait empathic concern was associated with stronger emotional contagion and corrugator mimicry. We found no two-way interaction between the autism spectrum quotient and emotional condition, suggesting that autistic traits did not modulate emotional contagion or spontaneous facial mimicry. Our findings imply that previous findings regarding the relationship between emotional empathy and emotional contagion/spontaneous facial mimicry using videos and photos could be generalized to real-life interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Ting Hsu
- Psychological Process Research Team, Guardian Robot Project, RIKEN, Soraku-gun, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Wataru Sato
- Psychological Process Research Team, Guardian Robot Project, RIKEN, Soraku-gun, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Sakiko Yoshikawa
- Institute of Philosophy and Human Values, Kyoto University of the Arts, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
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Zaff O, Wyngaarden JB, Dennison JB, Sazhin D, Chein J, McCloskey M, Alloy LB, Jarcho JM, Smith DV, Fareri DS. Social Context and Reward Sensitivity Enhance Corticostriatal Function during Experiences of Shared Rewards. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.19.562908. [PMID: 37905048 PMCID: PMC10614966 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.19.562908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Although prior research has demonstrated enhanced striatal response when sharing rewards with close social connections, less is known about how individual differences affect ventral striatal (VS) activation and connectivity when experiencing rewards within social contexts. Given that self-reported reward sensitivity and level of substance use have been associated with differences in VS activation, we set out to investigate whether these factors would be independently associated with enhancements to neural reward responses within social contexts. In this pre-registered study, participants (N=45) underwent fMRI while playing a card guessing game in which correct or incorrect guesses resulted in monetary gains and losses that were shared evenly with either a close friend, stranger (confederate), or non-human partner. Consistent with our prior work, we found increased VS activation when sharing rewards with a socially close peer as opposed to an out-of-network stranger. As self-reported reward sensitivity increased, the difference in VS response to rewards shared with friends and strangers decreased. We also found enhanced connectivity between the VS and temporoparietal junction when sharing rewards with close friends as opposed to strangers. Finally, exploratory analyses revealed that as reward sensitivity and sub-clinical substance use increase, the difference in VS connectivity with the right fusiform face area increases as a function of social context. These findings demonstrate that responsivity to the context of close friends may be tied to individual reward sensitivity or sub-clinical substance use habits; together these factors may inform predictions of risk for future mental health disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ori Zaff
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - James B. Wyngaarden
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jeffrey B. Dennison
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Daniel Sazhin
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jason Chein
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Michael McCloskey
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lauren B. Alloy
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Johanna M. Jarcho
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - David V. Smith
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Dominic S. Fareri
- Derner School of Psychology, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, USA
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15
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Drüsedau LL, Götz A, Kleine Büning L, Conzelmann A, Renner TJ, Barth GM. Tübinger Training for Autism Spectrum Disorders (TüTASS): a structured group intervention on self-perception and social skills of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2023; 273:1599-1613. [PMID: 36629941 PMCID: PMC10465396 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-022-01537-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
In autism spectrum disorders (ASD), social communication and stereotypical behaviour patterns affect all areas of life, and can result in a decrease of its quality. Previous research has shown promising results for the social skills of groups of children with ASD. Furthermore, a pilot study of the Tübingen Group Training for Autism Spectrum Disorders (TüTASS) has demonstrated that mindfulness-based elements achieve additional positive effects. To build on these findings, the TüTASS training was adapted and expanded. Indeed, the TüTASS currently includes 20 90-min appointments starting with the basic skills of emotions, body, and communication, which are then transferred to personal, family, peer, and school spheres. The appointments have a fixed, consistent structure and each includes a body awareness exercise. In this study, we evaluated the TÜTASS with 27 children with ASD. The results showed improvements in pre-post comparison in behaviours associated with autism, as well as in externalising and internalising behaviours as assessed by parent reports, participant self-reports, and independent raters in participating children. Furthermore, the perceived parent burden in relation to their children decreased, whereas the participants' self-rated quality of life increased. Overall, both the participants and their parents rated the TüTASS very positively in rating sheets and in free feedback. If replicated in larger controlled trials, TÜTASS training might be a useful treatment tool for groups of children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Luisa Drüsedau
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Antonia Götz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lena Kleine Büning
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Annette Conzelmann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Psychology (Clinical 15 Psychology II), PFH-Private University of Applied Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tobias J Renner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Gottfried M Barth
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen, Germany
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16
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Dziura SL, Hosangadi A, Shariq D, Merchant JS, Redcay E. Partner similarity and social cognitive traits predict social interaction success among strangers. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2023; 18:nsad045. [PMID: 37698369 PMCID: PMC10516339 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsad045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Social interactions are a ubiquitous part of engaging in the world around us, and determining what makes an interaction successful is necessary for social well-being. This study examined the separate contributions of individual social cognitive ability and partner similarity to social interaction success among strangers, measured by a cooperative communication task and self-reported interaction quality. Sixty participants engaged in a 1-h virtual social interaction with an unfamiliar partner (a laboratory confederate) including a 30-min cooperative 'mind-reading' game and then completed several individual tasks and surveys. They then underwent a separate functional MRI session in which they passively viewed video clips that varied in content. The neural responses to these videos were correlated with those of their confederate interaction partners to yield a measure of pairwise neural similarity. We found that trait empathy (assessed by the interpersonal reactivity index) and neural similarity to partner both predicted communication success in the mind-reading game. In contrast, perceived similarity to partner and (to a much lesser extent) trait mind-reading motivation predicted self-reported interaction quality. These results highlight the importance of sharing perspectives in successful communication as well as differences between neurobiological similarity and perceived similarity in supporting different types of interaction success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Dziura
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Aditi Hosangadi
- Center for Mind and Brain University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95618, USA
| | - Deena Shariq
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Junaid S Merchant
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Elizabeth Redcay
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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17
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Kieckhaefer C, Schilbach L, Bzdok D. Social belonging: brain structure and function is linked to membership in sports teams, religious groups, and social clubs. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:4405-4420. [PMID: 36161309 PMCID: PMC10110433 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Human behavior across the life span is driven by the psychological need to belong, right from kindergarten to bingo nights. Being part of social groups constitutes a backbone for communal life and confers many benefits for the physical and mental health. Capitalizing on the neuroimaging and behavioral data from ∼40,000 participants from the UK Biobank population cohort, we used structural and functional analyses to explore how social participation is reflected in the human brain. Across 3 different types of social groups, structural analyses point toward the variance in ventromedial prefrontal cortex, fusiform gyrus, and anterior cingulate cortex as structural substrates tightly linked to social participation. Functional connectivity analyses not only emphasized the importance of default mode and limbic network but also showed differences for sports teams and religious groups as compared to social clubs. Taken together, our findings establish the structural and functional integrity of the default mode network as a neural signature of social belonging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Kieckhaefer
- LVR Klinikum Düsseldorf, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Bergische Landstraße 2, 40629 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Leonhard Schilbach
- LVR Klinikum Düsseldorf, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Bergische Landstraße 2, 40629 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Medical Faculty, Ludwig Maximilians University, Bavariaring 19, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Danilo Bzdok
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), McGill University, 3801 rue University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, 3775 rue University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
- Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, 6666 rue Saint-Urbain, Montreal, Quebec H2S 3H1, Canada
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18
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Bolis D, Dumas G, Schilbach L. Interpersonal attunement in social interactions: from collective psychophysiology to inter-personalized psychiatry and beyond. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20210365. [PMID: 36571122 PMCID: PMC9791489 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
In this article, we analyse social interactions, drawing on diverse points of views, ranging from dialectics, second-person neuroscience and enactivism to dynamical systems, active inference and machine learning. To this end, we define interpersonal attunement as a set of multi-scale processes of building up and materializing social expectations-put simply, anticipating and interacting with others and ourselves. While cultivating and negotiating common ground, via communication and culture-building activities, are indispensable for the survival of the individual, the relevant multi-scale mechanisms have been largely considered in isolation. Here, collective psychophysiology, we argue, can lend itself to the fine-tuned analysis of social interactions, without neglecting the individual. On the other hand, an interpersonal mismatch of expectations can lead to a breakdown of communication and social isolation known to negatively affect mental health. In this regard, we review psychopathology in terms of interpersonal misattunement, conceptualizing psychiatric disorders as disorders of social interaction, to describe how individual mental health is inextricably linked to social interaction. By doing so, we foresee avenues for an inter-personalized psychiatry, which moves from a static spectrum of disorders to a dynamic relational space, focusing on how the multi-faceted processes of social interaction can help to promote mental health. This article is part of the theme issue 'Concepts in interaction: social engagement and inner experiences'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitris Bolis
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2–10, Muenchen-Schwabing 80804, Germany,Centre for Philosophy of Science, University of Lisbon, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal,Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences (NIPS), Okazaki 444-0867, Japan
| | - Guillaume Dumas
- Precision Psychiatry and Social Physiology Laboratory, CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3T 1J4,Mila - Quebec AI Institute, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2S 3H1,Culture Mind and Brain Program, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 1A1
| | - Leonhard Schilbach
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2–10, Muenchen-Schwabing 80804, Germany,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilians Universität, Munich 40629, Germany,Department of General Psychiatry 2, LVR-Klinikum Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 80336, Germany
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19
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Lu M, Pang F, Wang R, Peng T, Liang D, Liu Y. Autistic traits are linked with school adjustment among Chinese college students: the chain-mediating effects of emotion regulation and friendships. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2023; 70:1198-1206. [PMID: 39712446 PMCID: PMC11660396 DOI: 10.1080/20473869.2023.2168732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2024]
Abstract
Numerous emerging adults are inclined to go to college, but the different life and learning environment of college can be a challenge, particularly those with autistic traits such as poor social skills, poor communication skills, and so on. Few studies have explored the mechanism underlying the association between autistic traits and school adjustment in college students. This study sheds light on this topic. A sample of 1,381 Chinese college students completed surveys about autistic traits, school adjustment, emotion regulation, and friendships. The results showed that there were significant correlations between autistic traits, emotion regulation, friendships, and school adjustment. Emotion regulation and friendships were found to play a chain-mediating role in the association between autistic traits and school adjustment. The results indicate that to help college students to better adapt to school life, it is critical to pay attention to their autistic traits, emotion regulation ability, and friendships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghui Lu
- Special Education Department, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Feifan Pang
- Department of Special Education and Counselling, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong
| | - Rong Wang
- School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tianyu Peng
- School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dichao Liang
- Department of Special Education and Counselling, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong
| | - Yong Liu
- School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
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20
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Fini C, Bolis D, Moreau Q, Era V. Editorial: Physical and psychological proximity in humans: From the body to the mind and vice-versa. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1113851. [PMID: 36818105 PMCID: PMC9933708 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1113851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Fini
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Dimitris Bolis
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences (NIPS), Okazaki, Japan
| | - Quentin Moreau
- Precision Psychiatry and Social Physiology Laboratory (PPSP), CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Vanessa Era
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia (IIT), Sapienza University of Rome and Center for Life Nano- & Neuroscience, Rome, Italy
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21
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A systematic review of predictors of suicidal thoughts and behaviors among autistic adults: Making the case for the role of social connection as a protective factor. Clin Psychol Rev 2023; 99:102235. [PMID: 36459876 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2022.102235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Autistic adults are a high-risk population for suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs). Accordingly, this systematic review aims to review the prevalence of STBs among autistic adults, review the risk and protective factors for STBs in autistic adults, and formulate a disorder-specific conceptualization of risk in this population. We systematically searched PsycINFO and Google Scholar for all studies published prior to March 28th, 2022. We included empirical articles focused on autistic adults, ages 18 years and older, reporting on suicide-related outcomes. In total, 45 peer-reviewed empirical articles were included in the current systematic review. The most frequently studied factors in relation to suicide risk among autistic adults were interpersonal constructs (42.4% of total studies looking at risk/protective factors) and depressive symptoms (36.4% of total studies looking at risk/protective factors). We conclude by summarize two key content areas: exploring social and interpersonal constructs and better understanding the role of depressive symptoms in autism. As researchers continue to explore STBs among autistic adults, it will be necessary to addressing the overreliance on autistic symptoms instead of autism diagnoses, measurement issues of STBs, and a need for treatment adaptations.
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22
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Fini C, Bardi L, Bolis D, Fusaro M, Lisi MP, Michalland AH, Era V. The social roots of self development: from a bodily to an intellectual interpersonal dialogue. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2023:10.1007/s00426-022-01785-6. [PMID: 36595049 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-022-01785-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we propose that interpersonal bodily interactions represent a fertile ground in which the bodily and psychological self is developed, gradually allowing for forms of more abstract and disembodied interactions. We start by focusing on how early infant-caregiver bodily interactions play a crucial role in shaping the boundaries of the self but also in learning to predict others' behavior. We then explore the social function of the sense of touch in the entire life span, highlighting its role in promoting physical and psychological well-being by supporting positive interpersonal exchanges. We go on by introducing the concept of implicit theory of mind, as the early ability to interpret others' intentions, possibly grounded in infant-caregiver bodily exchanges (embodied practices). In the following part, we consider so-called higher level forms of social interaction: intellectual exchanges among individuals. In this regard, we defend the view that, beside the apparent private dimension of "thinking abstractly", using abstract concepts is intrinsically a social process, as it entails the re-enactment of the internalized dialogue through which we acquired the concepts in the first place. Finally, we describe how the hypothesis of "dialectical attunement" may explain the development of abstract thinking: to effectively transform the world according to their survival needs, individuals co-construct structured concepts of it; by doing so, humans fundamentally transform not merely the world they are being in, but their being in the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Fini
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
| | - Lara Bardi
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience Marc Jeannerod, CNRS/UMR 5229, Bron, France.,Université Claude Bernard, Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Dimitris Bolis
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry,Kraepelinstrasse 2-10, 80804, Muenchen-Schwabing, Germany.,Centre for Philosophy of Science, Faculty of Science, University of Lisbon, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal.,Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences (NIPS), Okazaki, 444-0867, Japan
| | | | - Matteo P Lisi
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.,Fondazione Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia (IIT), Sapienza University of Rome and Center for Life Nano- & Neuroscience, Rome, Italy
| | - Arthur Henri Michalland
- Department of Psychology, Université Paul Valéry Montpellier, EPSYLON EA 4556, 34199, Montpellier, France.,University of Montpellier - LIFAM, Montpellier, France
| | - Vanessa Era
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.,IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.,Fondazione Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia (IIT), Sapienza University of Rome and Center for Life Nano- & Neuroscience, Rome, Italy
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23
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Lu M, Pang F, Wang R, Liu Y, Peng T. The association between autistic traits and excessive smartphone use in Chinese college students: The chain mediating roles of social interaction anxiety and loneliness. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2022; 131:104369. [PMID: 36306598 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
This study draws upon a large sample of Chinese college students to examine the chain mediating roles of social interaction anxiety and loneliness in the relation between autistic traits and excessive smartphone use. To test our hypothesis that social interaction anxiety and loneliness mediate the relation between autistic traits and excessive smartphone use, we recruited a sample of 1103 college students and asked them to complete an assessment that measured the degrees of autistic traits, social interaction anxiety, loneliness, and excessive smartphone use. The results showed significant correlations among these variables. More autistic traits, which are correlated with higher levels of social interaction anxiety and higher levels of loneliness, were found to be associated with excessive smartphone use. In conclusion, this study highlights the need for screening for excessive smartphone use among college students who demonstrate autistic traits. Social interaction anxiety and loneliness show great potential in screening for excessive smartphone use among college students with high levels of autistic traits. We discuss the practical implications of the findings and directions for future study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghui Lu
- Special Education Department, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
| | - Feifan Pang
- Department of Special Education and Counselling, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong.
| | - Rong Wang
- Special Education Department, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yong Liu
- Special Education Department, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
| | - Tianyu Peng
- Special Education Department, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
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24
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Lehmann K, Böckler A, Klimecki O, Müller-Liebmann C, Kanske P. Empathy and correct mental state inferences both promote prosociality. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16979. [PMID: 36217015 PMCID: PMC9550828 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20855-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In a world with rapidly increasing population that competes for the earth's limited resources, cooperation is crucial. While research showed that empathizing with another individual in need enhances prosociality, it remains unclear whether correctly inferring the other's inner, mental states on a more cognitive level (i.e., mentalizing) elicits helping behavior as well. We applied a video-based laboratory task probing empathy and a performance measure of mentalizing in adult volunteers (N = 94) and assessed to which extent they were willing to help the narrators in the videos. We replicate findings that an empathy induction leads to more prosocial decisions. Crucially, we also found that correct mentalizing increases the willingness to help. This evidence helps clarify an inconsistent picture of the relation between mentalizing and prosociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konrad Lehmann
- Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Straße 46, 01187, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Anne Böckler
- University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Olga Klimecki
- Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Straße 46, 01187, Dresden, Germany
| | - Christian Müller-Liebmann
- Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Straße 46, 01187, Dresden, Germany
| | - Philipp Kanske
- Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Straße 46, 01187, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
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25
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Pott J, Schilbach L. Tracking and changing beliefs during social interaction: Where computational psychiatry meets cognitive behavioral therapy. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1010012. [PMID: 36275316 PMCID: PMC9585719 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1010012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Pott
- Institut für Klinische Verhaltenstherapie, LVR-Klinikum Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Leonhard Schilbach
- Abteilung für Allgemeine Psychiatrie 2, LVR-Klinikum Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Medizinische Fakultät, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
- *Correspondence: Leonhard Schilbach
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26
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Barnby J, Raihani N, Dayan P. Knowing me, knowing you: Interpersonal similarity improves predictive accuracy and reduces attributions of harmful intent. Cognition 2022; 225:105098. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2022.105098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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27
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The Kind of Friend I Think I Am: Perceptions of Autistic and Non-autistic Young Adults. J Autism Dev Disord 2022:10.1007/s10803-022-05573-4. [DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05573-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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28
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Schilbach L. Autism and other disorders of social interaction: where we are and where to go from here. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2022; 272:173-175. [PMID: 35141808 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-022-01391-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Leonhard Schilbach
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilians Universität, Munich, Germany.
- Department of General Psychiatry 2, LVR-Klinikum Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
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29
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Sasson NJ, Bottema-Beutel K. Studies of autistic traits in the general population are not studies of autism. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2021; 26:1007-1008. [PMID: 34825582 DOI: 10.1177/13623613211058515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Studies of autistic traits in the general population are becoming increasingly prevalent. In this letter to the editor, we caution researchers against framing and interpreting studies of autistic traits in the general population as extending to autism and implore them to be clear about when their study sample does and does not include autistic participants.
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30
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Chen YL, Senande LL, Thorsen M, Patten K. Peer preferences and characteristics of same-group and cross-group social interactions among autistic and non-autistic adolescents. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2021; 25:1885-1900. [PMID: 34169757 PMCID: PMC8419288 DOI: 10.1177/13623613211005918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Autistic students often experience challenges in peer interactions, especially for young adolescents who are navigating the increased social expectations in secondary education. Previous research on the peer interactions of autistic adolescents mainly compared the social behaviors of autistic and non-autistic students and overlooked the peers in the social context. However, recent research has shown that the social challenges faced by autistic may not be solely contributed by their social differences, but a mismatch in the social communication styles between autistic and non-autistic people. As such, this study aimed to investigate the student-and-peer match in real-world peer interactions between six autistic and six non-autistic adolescents in an inclusive school club. We examined the odds of autistic and non-autistic students interacting with either an autistic peer, a non-autistic peer, or multiple peers, and the results showed that autistic students were more likely to interact with autistic peers then non-autistic peers. This preference for same-group peer interactions strengthened over the 5-month school club in both autistic and non-autistic students. We further found that same-group peer interactions, in both autistic and non-autistic students, were more likely to convey a social interest rather than a functional purpose or need, be sharing thoughts, experiences, or items rather than requesting help or objects, and be highly reciprocal than cross-group social behaviors. Collectively, our findings support that peer interaction outcomes may be determined by the match between the group memberships of the student and their peers, either autistic or non-autistic, rather than the student's autism diagnosis.
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Henco L, Schilbach L. Studying Social Inferences in and Across Social Brains. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2021; 6:760-761. [PMID: 34366090 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lara Henco
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Leonhard Schilbach
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; Ludwig Maximilians Universität, Munich, Germany.
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Schirmer A, Fairhurst M, Hoehl S. Being 'in sync'-is interactional synchrony the key to understanding the social brain? Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2021; 16:1-4. [PMID: 33104804 PMCID: PMC7812616 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsaa148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The past couple of decades produced a surge of interest in interaction synchrony. Moving from the study of behavioral coordination to investigating the coordination of psychophysiological and brain activity, relevant research has tackled a broad range of interactional settings with a multitude of measurement and analysis tools. This method diversity produced a host of interesting results converging on the fact that individuals engaged in social exchange tend to temporally align external as well as internal processes. Moreover, there appears to be a reciprocal relationship between the individuals' affective bond and the extent of synchronization, which together benefit interaction outcomes. Notably, however, the current breadth of study approaches creates challenges for the field, including how to compare findings and how to develop a theoretical framework that unites and directs ongoing research efforts. More concerted efforts are called for to achieve the conceptual and methodological clarity needed to answer core questions and enabling a balanced pursuit of both synchronous and asynchronous processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annett Schirmer
- Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR.,Brain and Mind Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR.,Center for Cognition and Brain Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Merle Fairhurst
- Institute for Psychology, Bundeswehr University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Munich Center for Neuroscience, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefanie Hoehl
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Rankin AM, Garza R, Byrd-Craven J. The endocrinology of female friendships: Cortisol and progesterone attunement after separation. Biol Psychol 2021; 161:108059. [PMID: 33652041 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Friendships constitute important relationships, and often function to reduce stress, but have been under-studied. In mother-child dyads, infants coordinate their stress response with their caregivers without experiencing the stressor themselves. The current study used a modified version of the Trier Social Stress Test to examine whether i) friends are physiologically attuned (i.e., cortisol and progesterone); ii) attunement differs as a function of social acceptance or rejection external to the dyad; and, iii) friends can 'catch' a stress response only through non-verbal cues. Friends showed both cortisol and progesterone attunement at the beginning of the study. Friends showed cortisol attunement across time and conditions. Friends' progesterone levels were significantly, but negatively associated across time and conditions. They did not, however, show a stress contagion as a result of one friend experiencing stress. These findings suggest that cortisol and progesterone play different roles in the attunement of stress and subsequent affiliation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Marie Rankin
- Oklahoma Center for Evolutionary Analysis (OCEAN), Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74075, United States.
| | - Ray Garza
- Oklahoma Center for Evolutionary Analysis (OCEAN), Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74075, United States
| | - Jennifer Byrd-Craven
- Oklahoma Center for Evolutionary Analysis (OCEAN), Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74075, United States
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Leong V, Bzdok D, Paulus FM, Pelphrey K, Redcay E, Schilbach L. Editorial: Social Interaction in Neuropsychiatry. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:683158. [PMID: 33995155 PMCID: PMC8116529 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.683158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Leong
- Division of Psychology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Danilo Bzdok
- Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Frieder M Paulus
- Social Neuroscience Lab at the Translational Psychiatry Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Lübeck University, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Kevin Pelphrey
- Department of Neurology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Elizabeth Redcay
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
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