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Pellicano E, Hall G, Ying Cai R. Autistic adults' experiences of financial wellbeing: Part II. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2024; 28:1090-1106. [PMID: 37795595 PMCID: PMC11067415 DOI: 10.1177/13623613231191594] [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] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Money matters in people's lives. It helps to meet people's basic needs (food, clothes, shelter) and live the lives they want to. When people talk about 'financial wellbeing', they mean how much you feel in control over day-to-day finances and how much freedom you have to make choices to enjoy life. We don't know what autistic people think about these things. That's why we did our study. We spoke to 21 autistic adults (24-69 years) about how they felt about their financial situation. We deliberately spoke to people who had told us previously they felt 'financially well' or 'financially unwell' so we could hear a range of opinions. Autistic people told us financial wellbeing meant having enough money to pay for their basics needs, to have a safety net for unexpected bills and not having to worry about money now or in the future. But many felt that good financial wellbeing was not possible for them. They often did not have a stable income to cover day-to-day expenses. This limited the choices they could make. Despite these challenges, autistic people told us they worked hard to budget and save money when they could - because feeling financial insecure was just too stressful, especially when they could not rely on family or friends for support. It made them feel mentally unwell. Our study shows there are many factors that influence autistic people's financial wellbeing. We need more research to help us understand how autistic people can be supported to achieve financial security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Pellicano
- University College London, UK
- Macquarie University, Australia
- Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC), Australia
| | - Gabrielle Hall
- Macquarie University, Australia
- Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC), Australia
| | - Ru Ying Cai
- Macquarie University, Australia
- Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC), Australia
- Aspect Australia, Australia
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Rządeczka M, Wodziński M, Moskalewicz M. Cognitive biases as an adaptive strategy in autism and schizophrenia spectrum: the compensation perspective on neurodiversity. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1291854. [PMID: 38116384 PMCID: PMC10729319 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1291854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
This article presents a novel theoretical perspective on the role of cognitive biases within the autism and schizophrenia spectrum by integrating the evolutionary and computational approaches. Against the background of neurodiversity, cognitive biases are presented as primary adaptive strategies, while the compensation of their shortcomings is a potential cognitive advantage. The article delineates how certain subtypes of autism represent a unique cognitive strategy to manage cognitive biases at the expense of rapid and frugal heuristics. In contrast, certain subtypes of schizophrenia emerge as distinctive cognitive strategies devised to navigate social interactions, albeit with a propensity for overdetecting intentional behaviors. In conclusion, the paper emphasizes that while extreme manifestations might appear non-functional, they are merely endpoints of a broader, primarily functional spectrum of cognitive strategies. The central argument hinges on the premise that cognitive biases in both autism and schizophrenia spectrums serve as compensatory mechanisms tailored for specific ecological niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Rządeczka
- Institute of Philosophy, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin, Lublin, Poland
- IDEAS NCBR, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Marcin Moskalewicz
- Institute of Philosophy, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin, Lublin, Poland
- IDEAS NCBR, Warsaw, Poland
- Philosophy of Mental Health Unit, Department of Social Sciences and the Humanities, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
- Phenomenological Psychopathology and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Clinic, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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Brosnan M, Ashwin C. Differences in Art Appreciation in Autism: A Measure of Reduced Intuitive Processing. J Autism Dev Disord 2023; 53:4382-4389. [PMID: 36063312 PMCID: PMC10539443 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05733-6] [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] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Art appreciation reflects an initial emotional and intuitive response to artwork evaluation, although this intuitive evaluation can be attenuated by subsequent deliberation. The Dual Process Theory of Autism proposes that individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have a greater propensity to deliberate and reduced intuition compared to matched controls. Evaluations of high- and low-quality artworks were undertaken by 107 individuals with a diagnosis of ASD and 145 controls. Controls consistently evaluated high-quality artworks to be much better quality than the low-quality artworks, reflecting intuitive processing. The ASD sample showed a reduced difference in evaluations between high- versus low-quality artwork, which reflects reduced intuitive processing and greater deliberative processing and is consistent with predictions by the Dual Process Theory of Autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Brosnan
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Applied Autism Research, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK.
| | - Chris Ashwin
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Applied Autism Research, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
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Stacey R, Cage E. "Simultaneously Vague and Oddly Specific": Understanding Autistic People's Experiences of Decision Making and Research Questionnaires. AUTISM IN ADULTHOOD 2023; 5:263-274. [PMID: 37663447 PMCID: PMC10468547 DOI: 10.1089/aut.2022.0039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Background Autism researchers often use questionnaires to gather the views and experiences of autistic people. However, questionnaires may not always be designed in accessible ways. In addition, answering questions within a questionnaire involves decision making, which some autistic people have reported finding difficult. Therefore, this exploratory study aimed to enhance our understanding of autistic people's experiences of decision making, and to analyze their feedback on questionnaire measures to further understand decision making within the research context. Methods One hundred seventeen participants completed an online questionnaire. In the questionnaire, they answered an open question about what affected their ability to make decisions. They then completed four questionnaire measures and after each one provided feedback. We used content analysis to categorize participants' qualitative answers. Results Participants discussed how their internal state, other people, the quality and quantity of information, pressure on choosing a response, external distractions, and lack of time all affected their decision making. Feedback on the questionnaires highlighted how questions needed context, often questions themselves were unclear and difficult to understand, that there were issues with Likert scales, and how measures could have questionable validity for autistic people. Conclusions Autism researchers need to consider how they can make their research as accessible as possible for autistic people. Our study highlights how decision making is not a straight-forward process, and researchers have a role in ensuring they give their participants clear and contextualized information. Involving autistic people in the design of research is a potential way of improving the quality of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael Stacey
- Department of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland
| | - Eilidh Cage
- Department of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland
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Pijnenburg LJ, Kaplun A, de Haan L, Janecka M, Smith L, Reichenberg A, Banaschewski T, Bokde ALW, Quinlan EB, Desrivières S, Grigis A, Garavan H, Gowland P, Heinz A, Ittermann B, Martinot JL, Martinot MLP, Nees F, Orfanos DP, Paus T, Poustka L, Hohmann S, Millenet S, Fröhner JH, Smolka MN, Walter H, Whelan R, Schumann G, Velthorst E. Autistic traits and alcohol use in adolescents within the general population. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2023; 32:1633-1642. [PMID: 35318541 PMCID: PMC10460309 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-022-01970-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
It has been suggested that autistic traits are associated with less frequent alcohol use in adolescence. Our study seeks to examine the relationship between autistic traits and alcohol use in a large adolescent population. Leveraging data from the IMAGEN cohort, including 2045 14-year-old adolescents that were followed-up to age 18, we selected items on social preference/skills and rigidity from different questionnaires. We used linear regression models to (1) test the effect of the sum scores on the prevalence of alcohol use (AUDIT-C) over time, (2) explore the relationship between autistic traits and alcohol use patterns, and (3) explore the specific effect of each autistic trait on alcohol use. Higher scores on the selected items were associated with trajectories of less alcohol use from the ages between 14 and 18 (b = - 0.030; CI 95% = - 0.042, - 0.017; p < 0.001). Among adolescents who used alcohol, those who reported more autistic traits were also drinking less per occasion than their peers and were less likely to engage in binge drinking. We found significant associations between alcohol use and social preference (p < 0.001), nervousness for new situations (p = 0.001), and detail orientation (p < 0.001). Autistic traits (social impairment, detail orientation, and anxiety) may buffer against alcohol use in adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa J Pijnenburg
- GGZ Rivierduinen, Institute for Mental Health Care, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 5, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Anais Kaplun
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Lieuwe de Haan
- Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 5, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Magdalena Janecka
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, USA
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Lauren Smith
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Abraham Reichenberg
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, USA
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Tobias Banaschewski
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Arun L W Bokde
- Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Erin Burke Quinlan
- Medical Research Council - Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Sylvane Desrivières
- Medical Research Council - Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Antoine Grigis
- NeuroSpin, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, 91191, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Hugh Garavan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
| | - Penny Gowland
- Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, University Park, NG, UK
| | - Andreas Heinz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Campus Charité Mitte, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bernd Ittermann
- Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Braunschweig, Germany
- Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Jean-Luc Martinot
- Maison de Solenn, Paris, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM Unit 1000 "Neuroimaging and Psychiatry", UniversityParis Sud, University Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Marie-Laure Paillère Martinot
- Maison de Solenn, Paris, France
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Frauke Nees
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Square J5, Mannheim, Germany
| | | | - Tomáš Paus
- Department of Psychology, Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M6A 2E1, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M6A 2E1, Canada
| | - Luise Poustka
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Centre Göttingen, von-Siebold-Str. 5, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sarah Hohmann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Sabina Millenet
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Juliane H Fröhner
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Michael N Smolka
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Henrik Walter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Campus Charité Mitte, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Whelan
- School of Psychology and Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Gunter Schumann
- Medical Research Council - Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- PONS Research Group, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Humboldt University, Campus Charite Mitte, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Science and Technology of Brain-Inspired Intelligence (ISTBI), Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Eva Velthorst
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, USA
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, New York City, NY, USA
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Mantas V, Kotoula V, Pehlivanidis A. Exploring randomness in autism. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15751. [PMID: 37529214 PMCID: PMC10389071 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15751] [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: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The fast, intuitive and autonomous system 1 along with the slow, analytical and more logical system 2 constitute the dual system processing model of decision making. Whether acting independently or influencing each other both systems would, to an extent, rely on randomness in order to reach a decision. The role of randomness, however, would be more pronounced when arbitrary choices need to be made, typically engaging system 1. The present exploratory study aims to capture the expression of a possible innate randomness mechanism, as proposed by the authors, by trying to isolate system 1 and examine arbitrary decision making in autistic participants with high functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Methods Autistic participants withhigh functioning ASD and an age and gender matched comparison group performed the random number generation task. The task was modified to limit the contribution of working memory and allow any innate randomness mechanisms expressed through system 1, to emerge. Results Utilizing a standard analyses approach, the random number sequences produced by autistic individuals and the comparison group did not differ in their randomness characteristics. No significant differences were identified when the sequences were examined using a moving window approach. When machine learning was used, random sequences' features could discriminate the groups with relatively high accuracy. Conclusions Our findings indicate the possibility that individual patterns during random sequence production could be consistent enough between groups to allow for an accurate discrimination between the autistic and the comparison group. In order to draw firm conclusions around innate randomness and further validate our experiment, our findings need to be replicated in a bigger sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasileios Mantas
- 1st Department of Psychiatry, Aiginiteion Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Attica, Greece
| | | | - Artemios Pehlivanidis
- 1st Department of Psychiatry, Aiginiteion Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Attica, Greece
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Brosnan M, Ashwin C. Thinking, fast and slow on the autism spectrum. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2023; 27:1245-1255. [PMID: 36325717 PMCID: PMC10291371 DOI: 10.1177/13623613221132437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
What is already known about the topicDaniel Kahneman wrote a highly influential book titled 'thinking, fast and slow'. He proposes that people usually think in a rapid, automatic, intuitive style. When people realise their intuitive thinking may be wrong, a slower, effortful, deliberative style of thinking takes over. It has recently been proposed that thinking in autistic individuals can be characterised as usually thinking in the deliberative style (rather than the intuitive style that non-autistic people usually think in).What this paper addsAs intuitive thinking is fast and deliberative thinking is slow, this research manipulated the time available to complete a series of reasoning questions. These questions have been developed to have intuitive answers (which are incorrect) and deliberative answers (which are correct). For the first time, a fast time manipulation (you must answer quickly) and slow (you must think about your answer before responding) was undertaken with autistic individuals. Autistic participants did produce more deliberative answers than the non-autistic participants. However, both groups produced comparably more intuitive answers and less deliberative answers in the fast condition. This shows that while autistic people tend not to use their intuition, autistic people can be encouraged to use their intuition.Implications for practice, research or policyUsing rapid intuition can be useful in fast-changing contexts, such as some social situations. Future research can explore how to support autistic individuals to use their intuition when the need arises. In addition, the propensity for deliberation resulting in unbiased, correct responses reflects a strengths-based account of autism. This requires more mental effort and is less susceptible to bias and errors. This is called 'Dual Process Theory'.
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van der Plas E, Mason D, Happé F. Decision-making in autism: A narrative review. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2023:13623613221148010. [PMID: 36794463 DOI: 10.1177/13623613221148010] [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: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
LAY SUMMARY Many autistic people report difficulties with real-life decision-making. However, when doing decision-making tests in laboratory experiments, autistic people often perform as well or better than non-autistic people. We review previously published studies on autistic people's decision-making, across different types of tests, to understand what type of decision-making is more challenging. To do this, we searched four databases of research papers. We found 104 studies that tested, in total, 2712 autistic and 3189 comparison participants on different decision-making tasks. We found that there were four categories of decision-making tests that were used in these experiments: perceptual (e.g. deciding which image has the most dots); reward learning (e.g. learning which deck of cards gives the best reward); metacognition (e.g. knowing how well you perform or what you want); and value-based (e.g. making a decision based on a choice between two outcomes that differ in value to you). Overall, these studies suggest that autistic and comparison participants tend to perform similarly well at perceptual and reward-learning decisions. However, autistic participants tended to decide differently from comparison participants on metacognition and value-based paradigms. This suggests that autistic people might differ from typically developing controls in how they evaluate their own performance and in how they make decisions based on weighing up the subjective value of two different options. We suggest these reflect more general differences in metacognition, thinking about thinking, in autism.
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Taylor EC, Livingston LA, Clutterbuck RA, Callan MJ, Shah P. Psychological strengths and well-being: Strengths use predicts quality of life, well-being and mental health in autism. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2023:13623613221146440. [PMID: 36639858 PMCID: PMC10375006 DOI: 10.1177/13623613221146440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT It is often suggested that supporting autistic people to identify and use their strengths will lead to positive outcomes. However, little research has explored if this is true. To date, no research has explored whether autistic people already have knowledge of and use their strengths, nor whether increased strengths knowledge and use is linked to good outcomes, such as a better quality of life, well-being and improved mental health. Comparing large samples of autistic and non-autistic people, this study tested these unanswered questions. We found that autistic and non-autistic people reported similar strengths, but autistic people reported less knowledge and use of their strengths compared to non-autistic people. Importantly however, autistic people who reported using their strengths often had better quality of life, well-being and mental health than autistic people who reported using their strengths less frequently. We, therefore, propose that supporting autistic people to use their strengths more often may be a valuable way to boost well-being in this population.
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Rogge N. How the anchor moves: Measuring and comparing the anchoring bias in autistic and neurotypical individuals. JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DECISION MAKING 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/bdm.2317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicky Rogge
- Faculty of Economics and Business Ku Leuven Brussels Belgium
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11
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Qian C, Tei S, Itahashi T, Aoki YY, Ohta H, Hashimoto RI, Nakamura M, Takahashi H, Kato N, Fujino J. Intergroup bias in punishing behaviors of adults with autism spectrum disorder. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:884529. [PMID: 36061271 PMCID: PMC9437315 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.884529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Groups are essential elements of society, and humans, by nature, commonly manifest intergroup bias (i.e., behave more positively toward an ingroup member than toward an outgroup member). Despite the growing evidence of various types of altered decision-making in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), their behavior under the situation involving group membership remains largely unexplored. By modifying a third-party punishment paradigm, we investigated intergroup bias in individuals with ASD and typical development (TD). In our experiment, participants who were considered as the third party observed a dictator game wherein proposers could decide how to distribute a provided amount of money while receivers could only accept unconditionally. Participants were confronted with two different group situations: the proposer was an ingroup member and the recipient was an outgroup member (IN/OUT condition) or the proposer was an outgroup member and the recipient was an ingroup member (OUT/IN condition). Participants with TD punished proposers more severely when violating social norms in the OUT/IN condition than in IN/OUT condition, indicating that their decisions were influenced by the intergroup context. This intergroup bias was attenuated in individuals with ASD. Our findings deepen the understanding of altered decision-making and socioeconomic behaviors in individuals with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyu Qian
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shisei Tei
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Institute of Applied Brain Sciences, Waseda University, Saitama, Japan.,School of Human and Social Sciences, Tokyo International University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Takashi Itahashi
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuta Y Aoki
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Haruhisa Ohta
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryu-Ichiro Hashimoto
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Language Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Motoaki Nakamura
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.,Kanagawa Psychiatric Center, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Hidehiko Takahashi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.,Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Nobumasa Kato
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Junya Fujino
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.,Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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Kozunova G, Novikov A, Stroganova T, Chernyshev B. Intolerance of Uncertainty and Challenges in Decision-making in Adults with High-Functioning Autism. КЛИНИЧЕСКАЯ И СПЕЦИАЛЬНАЯ ПСИХОЛОГИЯ 2022. [DOI: 10.17759/cpse.2022110402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
<p style="text-align: justify;">Individuals with high-functioning autism have difficulties in decision-making in face of incomplete or ambiguous information, particularly in the context of social interaction. Tasks demanding an immediate response or deviation from the usual behavior make them feel excessive anxiety which restricts their social and professional activity. Attempts to camouflage their conservatism to others are one of the risk factors for comorbid depression. Therefore, they avoid new and non-routine situations, thus restricting their own social activity and professional development. On the other hand, insisting on sameness and clarity may give individuals with autism an advantage in long-lasting monotonous tasks. The aim of this review is to consider these symptoms from the perspective of predictive coding. A range of experimental studies has shown that most of the subjects with autism have difficulty in predicting the outcomes based on the cumulative history of interacting with the environment, as well as updating expectations as new evidence becomes available. These peculiarities of the analysis and pragmatic weighting of information may cause the trait intolerance of uncertainty and novelty avoidance of most people with autism.</p>
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Peristeri E, Vogelzang M, Tsimpli IM. Bilingualism Effects on the Cognitive Flexibility of Autistic Children: Evidence From Verbal Dual-Task Paradigms. NEUROBIOLOGY OF LANGUAGE (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2021; 2:558-585. [PMID: 37214625 PMCID: PMC10198706 DOI: 10.1162/nol_a_00055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The deficit in cognitive flexibility (i.e., the ability to adapt cognitive behavior to changing contexts) is one of the most prominent characteristics of autistic individuals. Inflexibility may manifest in restricted interests and increased susceptibility to the effects of misinformation either through inefficient inhibition of non-target information or deficient recall of correct information. Bilingualism has been shown to enhance executive functions in both typically developing children and autistic children; yet, the effect of bilingualism on cognitive flexibility in autism remains underexplored. In this study, we used verbal dual-tasks to compare cognitive flexibility across 50 monolingual autistic and 50 bilingual autistic children, and 50 monolingual and 50 bilingual typically developing children. The children were also administered language ability tests and a nonverbal global-local cognitive flexibility task, in order to investigate whether performance in the dual-tasks would be modulated by the children's language and executive function skills. The bilingual autistic children outperformed their monolingual autistic peers in the dual-tasks. The strength of the bilingualism effect, however, was modulated by the type of language processing that interfered with the target information in each dual-task, which suggests that the bilingual autistic children calibrated their processing resources and efficiently adapted them to the changing demands of the dual-task only to the extent that the task did not exceed their language abilities. Bilingual autistic children relied on their executive functions rather than on their language abilities while performing in the dual-tasks. The overall results show that bilingualism compensates for the reduced cognitive flexibility in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Peristeri
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Larissa, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Margreet Vogelzang
- Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ianthi Maria Tsimpli
- Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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14
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Rozenkrantz L, D'Mello AM, Gabrieli JDE. Enhanced rationality in autism spectrum disorder. Trends Cogn Sci 2021; 25:685-696. [PMID: 34226128 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2021.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Challenges in social cognition and communication are core characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but in some domains, individuals with ASD may display typical abilities and even outperform their neurotypical counterparts. These enhanced abilities are notable in the domains of reasoning, judgment and decision-making, in which individuals with ASD often show 'enhanced rationality' by exhibiting more rational and bias-free decision-making than do neurotypical individuals. We review evidence for enhanced rationality in ASD, how it relates to theoretical frameworks of information processing in ASD, its implications for basic research about human irrationality, and what it may mean for the ASD community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liron Rozenkrantz
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 01239, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 01239, USA.
| | - Anila M D'Mello
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 01239, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 01239, USA
| | - John D E Gabrieli
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 01239, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 01239, USA
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15
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Bellamy R, Ring H, Watson P, Kemp A, Munn G, Clare IC. The effect of ambient sounds on decision-making and heart rate variability in autism. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2021; 25:2209-2222. [PMID: 34132124 PMCID: PMC7614480 DOI: 10.1177/13623613211014993] [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: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Many autistic people report difficulties making decisions during everyday tasks, such as shopping. To examine the effect of sounds on decision-making, we developed a supermarket task where people watched a film shown from the shopper's perspective and were asked to make decisions between different products. The task was divided into three sections and participants completed each section in a different auditory environment: (1) no sounds, (2) non-social sounds (e.g. fridges humming) and (3) social sounds (e.g. people talking). Thirty-eight autistic and 37 neurotypical adults took part. We measured decision-making by examining how long it took to make a decision and how consistent people were with their decisions. We also measured heart rate variability because this biological response provides a measure of anxiety. After the supermarket shopping task, participants told us in their own words about their experiences. Autistic participants said that they found the non-social and social sound conditions more difficult than the no sound condition, and autistic participants found the social sound condition more negative than neurotypical participants. However, decision-making and heart rate variability were similar for autistic and neurotypical participants across the sound conditions, suggesting that these measures may not have been sensitive enough to reflect the experiences the autistic participants reported. Further research should consider alternative measures to explore the experiences reported by autistic people to help us understand which specific aspects of the environment autistic people are sensitive to. This, in turn, may enable more specific and evidence-based autism-friendly changes to be made.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Howard Ring
- University of Cambridge, UK.,Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, UK
| | | | | | | | - Isabel Ch Clare
- University of Cambridge, UK.,Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, UK.,NIHR ARC East of England at Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, UK
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16
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Lange-Küttner C, Puiu AA. Perceptual Load and Sex-Specific Personality Traits. Exp Psychol 2021; 68:149-164. [PMID: 34711075 PMCID: PMC8691178 DOI: 10.1027/1618-3169/a000520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
The impact of sex-specific personality traits has often been investigated for visuospatial tasks such as mental rotation, but less is known about the influence of personality traits on visual search. We investigated whether the Big Five personality traits Extroversion (E), Openness (O), Agreeableness (A), Conscientiousness (C), and Neuroticism (N) and the Autism Quotient (AQ) influence visual search in a sample of N = 65 men and women. In three experiments, we varied stimulus complexity and predictability. As expected, latencies were longer when the target was absent. Pop-out search was faster than conjunction search. A large number of distracters slowed down reaction times (RTs). When stimulus complexity was not predictable in Experiment 3, this reduced search accuracy by about half. As could be predicted based on previous research on long RT tails, conjunction search in target absent trials revealed the impact of personality traits. The RT effect in visual search of the accelerating "less social" AQ score was specific to men, while the effects of the "more social" decelerating Big Five Inventory factors agreeableness and conscientiousness were specific to women. Thus, sex-specific personality traits could explain decision-making thresholds, while visual stimulus complexity yielded an impact of the classic personality traits neuroticism and extroversion.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrei-Alexandru Puiu
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy
and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University,
Germany
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17
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The effect of autism on information sampling during decision-making: An eye-tracking study. JUDGMENT AND DECISION MAKING 2021. [DOI: 10.1017/s1930297500007762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
AbstractRecent research has highlighted a tendency for more rational and deliberative decision-making in individuals with autism. We tested this hypothesis by using eye-tracking to investigate the information processing strategies that underpin multi-attribute choice in a sample of adults diagnosed with autism spectrum condition. We found that, as the number of attributes defining each option increased, autistic decision-makers were speedier, examined less of the available information, and spent a greater proportion of their time examining the option they eventually chose. Rather than indicating a more deliberative style, our results are consistent with a tendency for individuals with autism to narrow down the decision-space more quickly than does the neurotypical population.
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18
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Abstract
Autism is a highly heterogeneous condition, genetically and phenotypically. This diversity of causation and presentation has impeded its definition, recognition, assessment, and treatment. Current diagnostic criteria for autism involve two domains, restricted interests and repetitive behavior (RRBs) and social deficits, whose relationship remains unclear. I suggest that the large suite of traits associated with autism can be usefully conceptualized under the single rubric of "pattern," a term that connects autism with basic brain and cognitive functions and structures its phenotypes within a single theoretical framework. Autism thus involves increases and enhancements to pattern perception, pattern recognition, pattern maintenance, pattern generation, pattern processing, and pattern seeking. RRBs result from increased and imbalanced pattern-related perception and cognition, and social alterations result in part from the usual lack of clear pattern in social interactions, combined with the interference of RRBs with social development. This framework has strong implications for assessment of social and non-social autism-related traits, personalized therapy, and priorities for research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard Crespi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
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19
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Using the International Cognitive Ability Resource as an open source tool to explore individual differences in cognitive ability. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.109906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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20
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Fujino J, Tei S, Itahashi T, Aoki YY, Ohta H, Kubota M, Hashimoto RI, Nakamura M, Kato N, Takahashi H. Impact of past experiences on decision-making in autism spectrum disorder. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2020; 270:1063-1071. [PMID: 31559528 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-019-01071-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
People are often influenced by past costs in their current decision-making, thus succumbing to a well-known bias recognized as the sunk cost effect. A recent study showed that the sunk cost effect is attenuated in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the study only addressed one situation of utilization decision by focusing on the choice between similar attractive alternatives with different levels of sunk costs. Thus, it remains unclear how individuals with ASD behave under sunk costs in different types of decision situations, particularly progress decisions, in which the decision-maker allocates additional resources to an initially chosen alternative. The sunk cost effect in progress decisions was estimated using an economic task designed to assess the effect of the past investments on current decision-making. Twenty-four individuals with ASD and 21 age-, sex-, smoking status-, education-, and intelligence quotient-level-matched typical development (TD) subjects were evaluated. The TD participants were more willing to make the second incremental investment if a previous investment was made, indicating that their decisions were influenced by sunk costs. However, unlike the TD group, the rates of investments were not significantly increased after prior investments in the ASD group. The results agree with the previous evidence of a reduced sensitivity to context stimuli in individuals with ASD and help us obtain a broader picture of the impact of sunk costs on their decision-making. Our findings will contribute to a better understanding of ASD and may be useful in addressing practical implications of their socioeconomic behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junya Fujino
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 157-8577, Japan.
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
| | - Shisei Tei
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 157-8577, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
- Institute of Applied Brain Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan
- School of Human and Social Sciences, Tokyo International University, 2509 Matoba, Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan
| | - Takashi Itahashi
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 157-8577, Japan
| | - Yuta Y Aoki
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 157-8577, Japan
| | - Haruhisa Ohta
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 157-8577, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Manabu Kubota
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 157-8577, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba, Japan
| | - Ryu-Ichiro Hashimoto
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 157-8577, Japan
- Department of Language Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1 Minami-Osawa, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Motoaki Nakamura
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 157-8577, Japan
- Kanagawa Psychiatric Center, 2-5-1 Serigaya, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Nobumasa Kato
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 157-8577, Japan
| | - Hidehiko Takahashi
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 157-8577, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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21
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Kube T, Rozenkrantz L. When Beliefs Face Reality: An Integrative Review of Belief Updating in Mental Health and Illness. PERSPECTIVES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2020; 16:247-274. [DOI: 10.1177/1745691620931496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Belief updating is a relatively nascent field of research that examines how people adjust their beliefs in light of new evidence. So far, belief updating has been investigated in partly unrelated lines of research from different psychological disciplines. In this article, we aim to integrate these disparate lines of research. After presenting some prominent theoretical frameworks and experimental designs that have been used for the study of belief updating, we review how healthy people and people with mental disorders update their beliefs after receiving new information that supports or challenges their views. Available evidence suggests that both healthy people and people with particular mental disorders are prone to certain biases when updating their beliefs, although the nature of the respective biases varies considerably and depends on several factors. Anomalies in belief updating are discussed in terms of both new insights into the psychopathology of various mental disorders and societal implications, such as irreconcilable political and societal controversies due to the failure to take information into account that disconfirms one’s own view. We conclude by proposing a novel integrative model of belief updating and derive directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Kube
- Program in Placebo Studies, Harvard Medical School/Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Koblenz-Landau
| | - Liron Rozenkrantz
- Program in Placebo Studies, Harvard Medical School/Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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22
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Jumping to conclusions in autism: integration of contextual information and confidence in decision-making processes. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2020; 29:959-968. [PMID: 31555897 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-019-01409-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Individuals with Autism spectrum condition (ASC) present cognitive biases and a difficulty to integrate emotional responses in decision-making, which is necessary for adequate social functioning. Thus, understanding the underlying mechanisms of the altered decision-making in individuals with ASC may eventually have a positive impact on their social functioning. The Picture decision task was employed to observe the effect of new information (fragments of an incomplete picture), interpretative context (verbal cues), and the level of confidence on decision-making processes. Our study administered the task to 49 children with ASC and 37 children with Typical Development (TD). Children with TD showed a higher probability of success when an interpretative context was given. Conversely, children with ASC had an equal probability of success regardless of whether an interpretative context was provided or not. In addition, unlike children with TD, the level of confidence did not allow predicting the probability of successful decisions in children with ASC. Finally, children with ASC had more probability of jumping to conclusions, a decision made quickly with only one fragment of the picture while being completely sure of it. These results are discussed in light of current cognitive and emotional theories on ASC.
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23
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Zeif D, Yechiam E. Autism is not associated with poor or enhanced performance on the Iowa Gambling Task: A Meta-Analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 113:440-447. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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24
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De Groot K. Non-Clinical Autistic Traits Correlate With Social and Ethical but Not With Financial and Recreational Risk-Taking. Front Psychol 2020; 11:360. [PMID: 32218755 PMCID: PMC7078360 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous research into uncertain and risky decision-making in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been inconclusive, with some studies reporting less uncertain and risky decisions by persons with ASD compared to neurotypicals, but other studies failing to find such effects. A possible explanation for these inconsistent findings is that aberrant decision-making in ASD is domain-specific, and only manifests itself in domains related to autism symptomatology. The present study examines this premise by correlating self-reported autistic traits to individuals' intention to engage in risky behaviours, their perception of how risky these behaviours are, and the amount of benefit they expect to obtain from engaging in them; all for five separate domains of decision-making: social, ethical, recreational, health/safety, and financial. In line with the hypotheses, persons with higher autistic traits reported reduced intention to engage in risky social behaviours and increased intention to engage in risky ethical behaviours. Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between autistic traits and risk perception in the social domain, indicating that persons with higher autistic traits perceive social behaviours as riskier than do persons with lower autistic traits. Correlations between autistic traits and individuals' intention to engage in risky recreational and financial behaviours were small, and supported the null hypothesis (as shown by Bayes Factors). Given that most studies on uncertain and risky decision-making take place in a financial context, the present results could explain previous inconsistent findings on decision-making in ASD. Therefore, future studies should also examine decision-making outside the financial realm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristel De Groot
- Institute of Psychology, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Applied Economics, Erasmus School of Economics, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands.,Erasmus University Rotterdam Institute for Behaviour and Biology, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
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25
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Abstract
It has been proposed that atypical empathy in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is due to co-occurring alexithymia. However, difficulties measuring empathy and statistical issues in previous research raise questions about the role of alexithymia in empathic processing in ASD. Addressing these issues, we compared the associations of trait alexithymia and autism with empathy in large samples from the general population. Multiple regression analyses showed that both trait autism and alexithymia were uniquely associated with atypical empathy, but dominance analysis found that trait autism, compared to alexithymia, was a more important predictor of atypical cognitive, affective, and overall empathy. Together, these findings indicate that atypical empathy in ASD is not simply due to co-occurring alexithymia.
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26
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Lange-Küttner C, Korte MA, Stamouli C. Parents' Autistic Personality Traits and Sex-Biased Family Ratio Determine the Amount of Technical Toy Choice. Front Psychol 2019; 10:2101. [PMID: 31616336 PMCID: PMC6764165 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated the effect of parents' autism quotient (AQ), their sex and the sex of their children on their toy preference. In a computerized forced-choice shopping task, adults selected from cuddly and social role-playing toys (social toys), academic, music and sports toys (educational toys) and construction sets as well as cars (technical toys). A sex-balanced high and low AQ sample of 160 adults consisted of groups of parents of sons only, daughters only, sons and daughters, as well as of a group of adults without children (non-parents). The standard toy preference was social toys < educational toys < technical toys. Low AQ women were the only group to make a significantly higher amount of educational and a lower amount of technical toy choices. The mere presence of just sons increased technical toy choice in this experiment, while the mere presence of just daughters reduced technical toy choice both in men and high AQ individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Lange-Küttner
- School of Social Sciences, London Metropolitan University, London, United Kingdom
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27
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Top-down Effects on Empathy for Pain in Adults with Autistic Traits. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8022. [PMID: 31142776 PMCID: PMC6541648 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44400-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
While empathic responses of individuals with autism-spectrum disorder have been reported to be modulated by top-down attention, it remains unclear whether empathy for pain in typically developing individuals with autistic traits also involves such top-down modulation mechanisms. This study employed the autism-spectrum quotient (AQ) to quantify autistic traits in a group of 1,231 healthy adults. Two subset groups (High-AQ and Low-AQ groups) were randomly selected from the highest and lowest 10% AQ scores respectively. We explored whether participants in both groups would differ in their response to others’ pain when their attention was directed toward (A-P tasks) or away (A-N tasks) from pain cues in auditory and visual experimental modalities. Compared to Low-AQ individuals, High-AQ individuals exhibited more suppressed N1 and P2 amplitudes in response to painful vocal cues in auditory A-N tasks. This suggests suppressed attentional and emotional processes of empathy for pain when High-AQ individuals have their attention directed away from others’ pain cues. No significant difference was found between both groups in the auditory A-P task, nor in the visual A-P and A-N tasks. These results suggest that top-down attention modulation of cortical empathic responses to others’ vocal pain is influenced by autistic traits.
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28
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Tei S, Fujino J, Itahashi T, Aoki Y, Ohta H, Kubota M, Hashimoto R, Nakamura M, Kato N, Takahashi H. Egocentric biases and atypical generosity in autistic individuals. Autism Res 2019; 12:1598-1608. [DOI: 10.1002/aur.2130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Revised: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shisei Tei
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities ResearchShowa University Tokyo Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of MedicineKyoto University Kyoto Japan
- Institute of Applied Brain SciencesWaseda University Saitama Japan
- School of Human and Social SciencesTokyo International University Saitama Japan
| | - Junya Fujino
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities ResearchShowa University Tokyo Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of MedicineKyoto University Kyoto Japan
| | - Takashi Itahashi
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities ResearchShowa University Tokyo Japan
| | - Yuta Aoki
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities ResearchShowa University Tokyo Japan
| | - Haruhisa Ohta
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities ResearchShowa University Tokyo Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, School of MedicineShowa University Tokyo Japan
| | - Manabu Kubota
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities ResearchShowa University Tokyo Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of MedicineKyoto University Kyoto Japan
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institute of Radiological SciencesNational Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology Chiba Japan
| | - Ryu‐ichiro Hashimoto
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities ResearchShowa University Tokyo Japan
- Department of Language Sciences, Graduate School of HumanitiesTokyo Metropolitan University Tokyo Japan
| | - Motoaki Nakamura
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities ResearchShowa University Tokyo Japan
- Kanagawa Psychiatric Center Yokohama Kanagawa Japan
| | - Nobumasa Kato
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities ResearchShowa University Tokyo Japan
| | - Hidehiko Takahashi
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities ResearchShowa University Tokyo Japan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesGraduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences Tokyo Medical and Dental University Tokyo Japan
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29
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Abstract
Routine data sharing, defined here as the publication of the primary data and any supporting materials required to interpret the data acquired as part of a research study, is still in its infancy in psychology, as in many domains. Nevertheless, with increased scrutiny on reproducibility and more funder mandates requiring sharing of data, the issues surrounding data sharing are moving beyond whether data sharing is a benefit or a bane to science, to what data should be shared and how. Here, we present an overview of these issues, specifically focusing on the sharing of so-called "long tail" data, that is, data generated by individual laboratories as part of largely hypothesis-driven research. We draw on experiences in other domains to discuss attitudes toward data sharing, cost-benefits, best practices and infrastructure. We argue that the publishing of data sets is an integral component of 21st-century scholarship. Moreover, although not all issues around how and what to share have been resolved, a consensus on principles and best practices for effective data sharing and the infrastructure for sharing many types of data are largely in place. (PsycINFO Database Record
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30
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Fujino J, Tei S, Itahashi T, Aoki Y, Ohta H, Kanai C, Kubota M, Hashimoto RI, Nakamura M, Kato N, Takahashi H. Sunk Cost Effect in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 49:1-10. [PMID: 30014249 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3679-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The sunk cost effect, an interesting and well-known decision bias, is pervasive in real life and has been studied in various disciplines. In this study, we modified a task exemplifying the sunk cost effect and used it to evaluate this behavior in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The control group exhibited a typical sunk cost effect in our task. We found that the sunk cost effect was lower in the ASD group than in the control group. The results agree with previous evidence of reduced sensitivity to context stimuli in individuals with ASD and extend this finding to the context of the sunk cost effect. Our findings are useful in addressing the practical implications on their socioeconomic behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junya Fujino
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Shisei Tei
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.,Institute of Applied Brain Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan.,School of Human and Social Sciences, Tokyo International University, 2509 Matoba, Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan
| | - Takashi Itahashi
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuta Aoki
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Haruhisa Ohta
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chieko Kanai
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Manabu Kubota
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.,Department of Functional Brain Imaging Research, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba, Japan
| | - Ryu-Ichiro Hashimoto
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Language Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1 Minami-Osawa, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Motoaki Nakamura
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.,Kanagawa Psychiatric Center, 2-5-1 Serigaya, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Nobumasa Kato
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hidehiko Takahashi
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan. .,Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.
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31
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Liao J, Zhang Y, Li Y, Li H, Zilioli S, Wu Y. Exogenous Testosterone Increases Decoy Effect in Healthy Males. Front Psychol 2018; 9:2188. [PMID: 30483195 PMCID: PMC6243091 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
There is increasing interest in the role played by testosterone in economic decision-making and social cognition. However, despite the growing body of findings in this field of research, no empirical study to date has tested whether testosterone modulates decision-making when an asymmetrically dominated decoy option is introduced in a choice set. Within a choice set that comprises two options, an asymmetrically dominated decoy option is a third option that, when introduced in the choice set, is much worse than one of the existing options, but comparable to the other existing option. Introduction of a decoy option leads to a preference toward the dominating option (i.e., decoy effect). Healthy male participants (n = 63) received a single-dose of 150 mg testosterone gel in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-subjects design. At 180 min post-administration, participants took part in a decision-making task to elicit decoy effect. Results showed that participants in the testosterone group made less consistent choices and more target choices (i.e., decoy effect) than participants in the placebo group. These findings are interpreted in light of the dual-process theory and are in line with existing evidence suggesting that testosterone promotes more intuitive and automatic judgments in human decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajun Liao
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,College of Psychology and Sociology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- School of Science, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, China
| | - Yingchun Li
- School of Science, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, China
| | - Hong Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,College of Psychology and Sociology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Samuele Zilioli
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States.,Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Yin Wu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,College of Psychology and Sociology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
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32
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Cage E, Di Monaco J, Newell V. Understanding, attitudes and dehumanisation towards autistic people. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2018; 23:1373-1383. [PMID: 30463431 DOI: 10.1177/1362361318811290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Research suggests that while individuals may self-report positive attitudes towards autism, dehumanising attitudes (seeing another as less than human) may still prevail. This study investigated knowledge, openness and dehumanising attitudes of non-autistic people towards autistic people. A total of 361 participants completed a survey measuring autism openness, knowledge and experience, along with a measure of dehumanisation. Results showed that knowledge of autism was comparable to past research and females were more open towards autism. Findings also indicated evidence for dehumanisation, with a particular denial of 'human uniqueness' traits. Furthermore, dehumanisation was related to openness towards autism. These findings have implications for targeting attitudes to reduce stigma associated with autism.
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33
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Lewton M, Ashwin C, Brosnan M. Syllogistic reasoning reveals reduced bias in people with higher autistic-like traits from the general population. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2018; 23:1311-1321. [PMID: 30409029 DOI: 10.1177/1362361318808779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Recent theories of autism have emphasised the cognitive strengths and weaknesses in those with autism, which are also seen to some degree in non-clinical samples with higher autistic-like traits. The dual process theory of autism proposes that people with autism and non-clinical people with a higher degree of autistic-like traits have a propensity to show reduced intuitive processing (automatic and typically faster) alongside enhanced propensity towards deliberative processing (dependent on general cognitive ability and typically slower). This study aimed to further test the dual process theory of autism by investigating syllogistic reasoning (whether a conclusion can be logically deduced from two propositions) in addition to the cognitive reflection test (correct responses to which reflect deliberative processing over-riding intuitive processing) with respect to the degree of autistic-like traits and general cognitive ability in a non-clinical sample of 189 adults. Results showed that higher levels of autistic-like traits were related to lower levels of intuitive processing and higher levels of deliberative processing, which was found across both the syllogistic reasoning and cognitive reflection test measures - over and above the effect of general cognitive ability. The findings are consistent with the dual process theory of autism, and implications for autism are discussed.
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34
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Van de Cruys S, Vanmarcke S, Steyaert J, Wagemans J. Intact perceptual bias in autism contradicts the decreased normalization model. Sci Rep 2018; 8:12559. [PMID: 30135505 PMCID: PMC6105689 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31042-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
One recent, promising account of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) situates the cause of the disorder in an atypicality in basic neural information processing, more specifically in how activity of one neuron is modulated by neighboring neurons. The canonical neural computation that implements such contextual influence is called divisive (or suppressive) normalization. The account proposes that this normalization is reduced in ASD. We tested one fundamental prediction of this model for low-level perception, namely that individuals with ASD would show reduced cross-orientation suppression (leading to an illusory tilt perception). 11 young adults with an ASD diagnosis and 12 age-, gender-, and IQ-matched control participants performed a psychophysical orientation perception task with compound grating stimuli. Illusory tilt perception did not differ significantly between groups, indicating typical divisive normalization in individuals with ASD. In fact, all individuals with ASD showed a considerable orientation bias. There was also no correlation between illusory tilt perception and autistic traits as measured by the Social Responsiveness Scale. These results provide clear evidence against the decreased divisive normalization model of ASD in low-level perception, where divisive normalization is best characterized. We evaluate the broader existing evidence for this model and propose ways to salvage and refine the model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sander Van de Cruys
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, Brain & Cognition, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. .,Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Steven Vanmarcke
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, Brain & Cognition, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean Steyaert
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Child Psychiatry, UPC-KU Leuven, Kortenberg, Belgium
| | - Johan Wagemans
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, Brain & Cognition, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
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35
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Gosling CJ, Moutier S. Brief Report: Risk-Aversion and Rationality in Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 2018; 48:3623-3628. [DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3616-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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36
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Skylark WJ, Baron-Cohen S. Initial evidence that non-clinical autistic traits are associated with lower income. Mol Autism 2017; 8:61. [PMID: 29158888 PMCID: PMC5683395 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-017-0179-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 10/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Among non-clinical samples, autistic traits correlate with a range of educational and social outcomes. However, previous work has not investigated the relationship between autistic traits and income, a key determinant of socio-economic status and well-being. In five studies (total N = 2491), we recruited participants without a diagnosis of autism from the general US population via an online platform and administered the short-form Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) as well as asked a range of demographic questions. We found a negative association between AQ and household income, which remained robust after controlling for age, gender, education, employment status, ethnicity, and socially desirable responding. The effect was primarily driven by the participant's own income and was mainly due to the social subscale of the AQ. These results provide initial evidence that income is negatively related to autistic traits among the general population, with potential implications for a range of social, psychological, and health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- William J Skylark
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB UK
| | - Simon Baron-Cohen
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB UK.,Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 8AH UK
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37
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Fujino J, Tei S, Hashimoto RI, Itahashi T, Ohta H, Kanai C, Okada R, Kubota M, Nakamura M, Kato N, Takahashi H. Attitudes toward risk and ambiguity in patients with autism spectrum disorder. Mol Autism 2017; 8:45. [PMID: 28824795 PMCID: PMC5559781 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-017-0162-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2017] [Accepted: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the ability to make optimal decisions under uncertainty is an integral part of everyday life, individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently report that they experience difficulties with this skill. In behavioral economics, researchers distinguish two types of uncertainty to understand decision-making in this setting: risk (known probabilities) and ambiguity (unknown probabilities). However, it remains unclear how individuals with ASD behave under risk and ambiguity, despite growing evidence of their altered decision-making under uncertainty. We therefore extended previous research by studying the attitudes of those with ASD toward risk and ambiguity in both positive and negative contexts (i.e., gain and loss). In gain contexts, no significant difference was observed between the groups in risk attitudes, but ambiguity aversion was attenuated in ASD. In loss contexts, ambiguity attitudes did not significantly differ between the groups, but the ASD participants were less risk-seeking compared with the controls. In addition, insensitivity to the context change under risk and ambiguity in ASD was both significantly associated with poor social skills. These results improve our understanding of altered decision-making under uncertainty by disentangling the attitudes toward risk and ambiguity in ASD individuals. Applying behavioral economic tools may provide insights into the mechanisms underlying behavioral disturbances in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junya Fujino
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shisei Tei
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.,Institute of Applied Brain Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan.,School of Human and Social Sciences, Tokyo International University, 2509 Matoba, Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan
| | - Ryu-Ichiro Hashimoto
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Language Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1 Minami-Osawa, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takashi Itahashi
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Haruhisa Ohta
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chieko Kanai
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rieko Okada
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Manabu Kubota
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Functional Brain Imaging Research, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba, Japan
| | - Motoaki Nakamura
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.,Kanagawa Psychiatric Center, 2-5-1 Serigaya, Yokohama, Kanagawa Japan
| | - Nobumasa Kato
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hidehiko Takahashi
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
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