Detecting dodgy behaviour: The role of autism, autistic traits and theory of mind / Neil BREWER in Autism, 27-4 (May 2023)  

Public ISBD [article]  inAutism > 27-4 (May 2023) . - p.1026-1035 Titre : Detecting dodgy behaviour: The role of autism, autistic traits and theory of mind Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : Neil BREWER, Auteur ; Carmen A LUCAS, Auteur ; Alliyza LIM, Auteur ; Robyn L YOUNG, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.1026-1035 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : autism,autistic traits,criminality,signal detection theory,theory of mind Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : We examined whether theory of mind difficulties often considered to characterise autistic individuals impair their ability to detect the presence of dodgy or suspicious behaviour in interactions, thereby rendering them especially vulnerable to becoming involved in criminal activity or being victimised. Using a signal detection theory approach, we compared autistic (N=72; Verbal Comprehension Index=88-122, M=106.6) and non-autistic (N=70; Verbal Comprehension Index=86-120, M=104.4) adults' ability to detect dodgy or suspicious behaviour across a broad array of scenarios (N=136). Although theory of mind performance was poorer for the autistic group, frequentist and Bayesian analyses indicated there were no group differences in either the standard measures of discrimination performance obtainable using a signal detection theory approach or in terms of a bias towards reporting dodgy behaviour. Furthermore, there was no indication of a relationship between dodginess detection and autistic traits. However, regardless of group membership, theory of mind difficulties were associated with poorer discrimination of dodgy behaviour, highlighting an individual difference variable that may increase the vulnerability of both autistic and non-autistic individuals to involvement in some form of criminal activity or to becoming a victim of crime.Lay abstractDifficulties in reading others' minds make it difficult to anticipate their future behaviour. It has often been argued that such difficulties contribute to autistic individuals becoming enmeshed in criminal activity. However, supportive scientific evidence is virtually non-existent. We compared the ability of groups of autistic and non-autistic adults of similar intellectual ability to detect dodgy or suspicious behaviour across a wide range of scenarios. Although the autistic group performed more poorly than the non-autistic group on an established measure of mindreading, there were no group differences in the ability to detect dodginess. Nor did we find any evidence that detecting dodgy behaviour was associated with the degree of autistic traits reported by individual participants. However, when we combined the two groups, difficulty reading the minds of others was indeed associated with poorer detection of dodginess, thus highlighting a characteristic of individuals that may well increase the likelihood of becoming involved in crime or exploited for autistic and non-autistic individuals alike. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221125564 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=499 [article] Detecting dodgy behaviour: The role of autism, autistic traits and theory of mind [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / Neil BREWER, Auteur ; Carmen A LUCAS, Auteur ; Alliyza LIM, Auteur ; Robyn L YOUNG, Auteur . - p.1026-1035. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Autism > 27-4 (May 2023) . - p.1026-1035 Mots-clés : autism,autistic traits,criminality,signal detection theory,theory of mind Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : We examined whether theory of mind difficulties often considered to characterise autistic individuals impair their ability to detect the presence of dodgy or suspicious behaviour in interactions, thereby rendering them especially vulnerable to becoming involved in criminal activity or being victimised. Using a signal detection theory approach, we compared autistic (N=72; Verbal Comprehension Index=88-122, M=106.6) and non-autistic (N=70; Verbal Comprehension Index=86-120, M=104.4) adults' ability to detect dodgy or suspicious behaviour across a broad array of scenarios (N=136). Although theory of mind performance was poorer for the autistic group, frequentist and Bayesian analyses indicated there were no group differences in either the standard measures of discrimination performance obtainable using a signal detection theory approach or in terms of a bias towards reporting dodgy behaviour. Furthermore, there was no indication of a relationship between dodginess detection and autistic traits. However, regardless of group membership, theory of mind difficulties were associated with poorer discrimination of dodgy behaviour, highlighting an individual difference variable that may increase the vulnerability of both autistic and non-autistic individuals to involvement in some form of criminal activity or to becoming a victim of crime.Lay abstractDifficulties in reading others' minds make it difficult to anticipate their future behaviour. It has often been argued that such difficulties contribute to autistic individuals becoming enmeshed in criminal activity. However, supportive scientific evidence is virtually non-existent. We compared the ability of groups of autistic and non-autistic adults of similar intellectual ability to detect dodgy or suspicious behaviour across a wide range of scenarios. Although the autistic group performed more poorly than the non-autistic group on an established measure of mindreading, there were no group differences in the ability to detect dodginess. Nor did we find any evidence that detecting dodgy behaviour was associated with the degree of autistic traits reported by individual participants. However, when we combined the two groups, difficulty reading the minds of others was indeed associated with poorer detection of dodginess, thus highlighting a characteristic of individuals that may well increase the likelihood of becoming involved in crime or exploited for autistic and non-autistic individuals alike. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221125564 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=499

Response format changes the reading the mind in the eyes test performance of autistic and non-autistic adults / Alliyza LIM in Autism, 27-8 (November 2023)  

Public ISBD [article]  inAutism > 27-8 (November 2023) . - p.2560-2565 Titre : Response format changes the reading the mind in the eyes test performance of autistic and non-autistic adults Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : Alliyza LIM, Auteur ; Neil BREWER, Auteur ; Denise AISTROPE, Auteur ; Robyn L YOUNG, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.2560-2565 Mots-clés : autism  reading the mind in the eyes  response format  theory of mind Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : The Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) is a purported theory of mind measure and one that reliably differentiates autistic and non-autistic individuals. However, concerns have been raised about the validity of the measure, with some researchers suggesting that the multiple-choice format of the RMET makes it susceptible to the undue influence of compensatory strategies and verbal ability. We compared the performance of autistic (N?=?70) and non-autistic (N?=?71) adults on the 10-item multiple-choice RMET to that of a free-report version of the RMET. Both the autistic and non-autistic groups performed much better on the multiple-choice than the free-report RMET, suggesting that the multiple-choice format enables the use of additional strategies. Although verbal IQ was correlated with both multiple-choice and free-report RMET performance, controlling for verbal IQ did not undermine the ability of either version to discriminate autistic and non-autistic participants. Both RMET formats also demonstrated convergent validity with a well-validated adult measure of theory of mind. The multiple-choice RMET is, however, much simpler to administer and score.Lay abstractRecognizing and understanding the perspectives of others-also called theory of mind-is important for effective communication. Studies have found that some autistic individuals have greater difficulty with theory of mind compared to non-autistic individuals. One purported theory of mind measure is the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET). This test presents participants with photographs of pairs of eyes and asks them to identify the emotion displayed by each pair of eyes from four choices. Some researchers have argued that the multiple-choice format of the RMET may not be an accurate measure of theory of mind, as participants could simply be guessing or using a process of elimination to select the correct answer. Participants may also be disadvantaged if they are not familiar with the specific emotion words used in the multiple-choice answers. We examined whether a free-report (open-ended) format RMET would be a more valid measure of theory of mind than the multiple-choice RMET. Autistic and non-autistic adults performed better on the multiple-choice RMET than the free-report RMET. However, both versions successfully differentiated autistic and non-autistic adults, irrespective of their level of verbal ability. Performance on both versions was also correlated with another well-validated adult measure of theory of mind. Thus, the RMET?s multiple-choice format does not, of itself, appear to underpin its ability to differentiate autistic and non-autistic adults. En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/13623613231167226 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=514 [article] Response format changes the reading the mind in the eyes test performance of autistic and non-autistic adults [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / Alliyza LIM, Auteur ; Neil BREWER, Auteur ; Denise AISTROPE, Auteur ; Robyn L YOUNG, Auteur . - p.2560-2565. in Autism > 27-8 (November 2023) . - p.2560-2565 Mots-clés : autism  reading the mind in the eyes  response format  theory of mind Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : The Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) is a purported theory of mind measure and one that reliably differentiates autistic and non-autistic individuals. However, concerns have been raised about the validity of the measure, with some researchers suggesting that the multiple-choice format of the RMET makes it susceptible to the undue influence of compensatory strategies and verbal ability. We compared the performance of autistic (N?=?70) and non-autistic (N?=?71) adults on the 10-item multiple-choice RMET to that of a free-report version of the RMET. Both the autistic and non-autistic groups performed much better on the multiple-choice than the free-report RMET, suggesting that the multiple-choice format enables the use of additional strategies. Although verbal IQ was correlated with both multiple-choice and free-report RMET performance, controlling for verbal IQ did not undermine the ability of either version to discriminate autistic and non-autistic participants. Both RMET formats also demonstrated convergent validity with a well-validated adult measure of theory of mind. The multiple-choice RMET is, however, much simpler to administer and score.Lay abstractRecognizing and understanding the perspectives of others-also called theory of mind-is important for effective communication. Studies have found that some autistic individuals have greater difficulty with theory of mind compared to non-autistic individuals. One purported theory of mind measure is the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET). This test presents participants with photographs of pairs of eyes and asks them to identify the emotion displayed by each pair of eyes from four choices. Some researchers have argued that the multiple-choice format of the RMET may not be an accurate measure of theory of mind, as participants could simply be guessing or using a process of elimination to select the correct answer. Participants may also be disadvantaged if they are not familiar with the specific emotion words used in the multiple-choice answers. We examined whether a free-report (open-ended) format RMET would be a more valid measure of theory of mind than the multiple-choice RMET. Autistic and non-autistic adults performed better on the multiple-choice RMET than the free-report RMET. However, both versions successfully differentiated autistic and non-autistic adults, irrespective of their level of verbal ability. Performance on both versions was also correlated with another well-validated adult measure of theory of mind. Thus, the RMET?s multiple-choice format does not, of itself, appear to underpin its ability to differentiate autistic and non-autistic adults. En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/13623613231167226 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=514

Revisiting the Relationship between Cybercrime, Autistic Traits, and Autism / Alliyza LIM in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 53-4 (April 2023)  

Public ISBD [article]  inJournal of Autism and Developmental Disorders > 53-4 (April 2023) . - p.1319-1330 Titre : Revisiting the Relationship between Cybercrime, Autistic Traits, and Autism Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : Alliyza LIM, Auteur ; Neil BREWER, Auteur ; Robyn L. YOUNG, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.1319-1330 Langues : Anglais (eng) Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Reports of cybercrime being committed by people on the autism spectrum often imply that autism may be more prevalent among cybercriminals than the general population, although this remains unproven. In an online survey of 302 participants, we found that autistic individuals (n=25) were more likely to report engagement in cybercrime than non-autistic individuals, but this relationship was not mediated by advanced digital skills or deficits in theory of mind. Furthermore, independent of autism diagnosis, autistic traits were not significantly associated with self-reported cyber-criminality. We propose that there may be additional factors moderating the relationship between autism, autistic traits, and cybercrime, such as specific autistic characteristics, understanding of cybercrime, and willingness to disclose criminal activity. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05207-1 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=500 [article] Revisiting the Relationship between Cybercrime, Autistic Traits, and Autism [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / Alliyza LIM, Auteur ; Neil BREWER, Auteur ; Robyn L. YOUNG, Auteur . - p.1319-1330. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders > 53-4 (April 2023) . - p.1319-1330 Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Reports of cybercrime being committed by people on the autism spectrum often imply that autism may be more prevalent among cybercriminals than the general population, although this remains unproven. In an online survey of 302 participants, we found that autistic individuals (n=25) were more likely to report engagement in cybercrime than non-autistic individuals, but this relationship was not mediated by advanced digital skills or deficits in theory of mind. Furthermore, independent of autism diagnosis, autistic traits were not significantly associated with self-reported cyber-criminality. We propose that there may be additional factors moderating the relationship between autism, autistic traits, and cybercrime, such as specific autistic characteristics, understanding of cybercrime, and willingness to disclose criminal activity. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05207-1 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=500

The Impact of Affective Theory of Mind on Autistic Individual's Perception of Remorse / Qi Sheng TAN in Autism Research, 18-3 (March 2025)  

Public ISBD [article]  inAutism Research > 18-3 (March 2025) . - p.604-613 Titre : The Impact of Affective Theory of Mind on Autistic Individual's Perception of Remorse Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : Qi Sheng TAN, Auteur ; Nathan WEBER, Auteur ; Alliyza LIM, Auteur ; Robyn L. YOUNG, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.604-613 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : autism  expressed emotion  facial emotion perception  facial expression  theory of mind Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : ABSTRACT Previous research indicates that difficulties with expressing remorse may contribute to the longer sentences autistic individuals receive within the criminal justice system. These differences in remorse expression may stem from their reduced ability to perceive emotions in others. This study investigated the association between an individual's level of autistic traits and their remorse perception ability. We also examined the influence of Affective Theory of Mind (ToM), the ability to understand others' emotional experiences, in remorse perception. We thought that the more autistic traits with which a person presented, the poorer their ability to perceive remorse would be, with overall ToM and affective ToM serving as mediating factors. Forty-five autistic and 47 non-autistic individuals assessed a series of facial expressions to determine the perceived level of remorse in each face. Results revealed that neither the combination of autistic traits nor any individual trait was significantly correlated with remorse perception ability. Additionally, autistic traits did not indirectly impact the perception of remorse through either overall ToM or affective ToM. These findings imply that individuals with high autistic traits, regardless of their perspective-taking abilities, exhibit similar capacities for perceiving remorseful expressions to those with less autistic traits?at least when the stimuli are static. Future research should investigate the differences between autistic and non-autistic individuals in perceiving remorse through different modalities of emotional expression, including behavioral and verbal cues. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.70003 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=550 [article] The Impact of Affective Theory of Mind on Autistic Individual's Perception of Remorse [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / Qi Sheng TAN, Auteur ; Nathan WEBER, Auteur ; Alliyza LIM, Auteur ; Robyn L. YOUNG, Auteur . - p.604-613. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Autism Research > 18-3 (March 2025) . - p.604-613 Mots-clés : autism  expressed emotion  facial emotion perception  facial expression  theory of mind Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : ABSTRACT Previous research indicates that difficulties with expressing remorse may contribute to the longer sentences autistic individuals receive within the criminal justice system. These differences in remorse expression may stem from their reduced ability to perceive emotions in others. This study investigated the association between an individual's level of autistic traits and their remorse perception ability. We also examined the influence of Affective Theory of Mind (ToM), the ability to understand others' emotional experiences, in remorse perception. We thought that the more autistic traits with which a person presented, the poorer their ability to perceive remorse would be, with overall ToM and affective ToM serving as mediating factors. Forty-five autistic and 47 non-autistic individuals assessed a series of facial expressions to determine the perceived level of remorse in each face. Results revealed that neither the combination of autistic traits nor any individual trait was significantly correlated with remorse perception ability. Additionally, autistic traits did not indirectly impact the perception of remorse through either overall ToM or affective ToM. These findings imply that individuals with high autistic traits, regardless of their perspective-taking abilities, exhibit similar capacities for perceiving remorseful expressions to those with less autistic traits?at least when the stimuli are static. Future research should investigate the differences between autistic and non-autistic individuals in perceiving remorse through different modalities of emotional expression, including behavioral and verbal cues. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.70003 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=550

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