Perceptual similarity in autism

People with autism have consistently been found to outperform controls on visuo-spatial tasks such as block design, embedded figures, and visual search tasks. Plaisted, O'Riordan, and others (Bonnel et al., 2003; O'Riordan & Plaisted, 2001; O'Riordan, Plaisted, Driver, & Baron-Cohen, 2001; Plaisted, O'Riordan, & Baron-Cohen, 1998a, 1998b) have suggested that these findings might be explained in terms of reduced perceptual similarity in autism, and that reduced perceptual similarity could also account for the difficulties that people with autism have in making generalizations to novel situations. In this study, high-functioning adults with autism and ability-matched controls performed a low-level categorization task designed to examine perceptual similarity. Results were analysed using standard statistical techniques and modelled using a quantitative model of categorization. This analysis revealed that participants with autism required reliably longer to learn the category structure than did the control group but, contrary to the predictions of the reduced perceptual similarity hypothesis, no evidence was found of more accurate performance by the participants with autism during the generalization stage. Our results suggest that when all participants are attending to the same attributes of an object in the visual domain, people with autism will not display signs of enhanced perceptual similarity.     

BRIEF REPORT

We employed a psychophysiological marker of directed attention (the visual scanpath) to investigate visuocognitive processing of particular facial expressions in healthy individuals (N = 47). Visual scanpaths were recorded using video-oculography while subjects viewed digitised photographs of threat-related (fear, anger) and nonthreat (sad, happy, neutral) facial expressions. Hypotheses regarding the existence of a differential viewing strategy for threat-related facial expressions were based upon the adaptive significance of rapid detection and effective appraisal of social threat from conspecific face stimuli. When compared with each of the nonthreat faces, viewing strategies for expressions of anger and fear were characterised by increased distance between fixations (extended scanning), with more fixations, of longer duration, to feature areas of these faces. The extended scanning style suggests that threat-related faces evoke a "vigilant" style of scanning, whereby longer saccadic eye movements may reflect heightened autonomic responses to threat, while the increased foveal attention to feature areas of threat-related faces may facilitate cognitive appraisal of the personal significance and direction of impending threat. These results suggest the existence of distinct visuocognitive patterns for processing threat-related facial expressions, in response to the evolutionary advantage of detecting and appraising social threat.     

The effect of pain and the anticipation of pain on temporal perception: A role for attention and arousal

The overestimation of the duration of fear-inducing stimuli relative to neutral stimuli is a robust finding within the temporal perception literature. Whilst this effect is consistently reported with auditory and visual stimuli, there has been little examination of whether it can be replicated using painful stimulation. The aim of the current study was, therefore, to explore how pain and the anticipation of pain affected perceived duration of time. A modified verbal estimation paradigm was developed in which participants estimated the duration of shapes previously conditioned to be associated with pain, compared to those not associated with pain. Duration estimates were significantly longer on trials in which pain was received or anticipated than on control trials. Slope and intercept analysis revealed that the anticipation of pain resulted in steeper slopes and greater intercept values than for control trials. The results suggest that increased arousal and attention, when anticipating and experiencing pain, result in longer perceived durations. The results are discussed in relation to internal clock theory and neurocognitive models of time perception.     

Interpersonal sensitivity, status, and stereotype accuracy

A classic question in social and organizational psychology is whether low-status persons are more accurate in the perception of their high-status partners than the latter are in their perception of their subordinates. In a series of studies, Snodgrass (1985, 1992) tested this idea. She found that subordinates were more accurate at judging how their bosses viewed them than bosses were at judging how their subordinates viewed them, but that bosses were more accurate at judging how subordinates viewed themselves than subordinates were at judging how bosses viewed themselves. We believe, however, that these results were obscured by stereotype accuracy. Using previously collected data, we found that stereotype accuracy does lead to the pattern previously observed by Snodgrass. We also discovered that when we controlled for stereotype accuracy, subordinates' perceptions were generally more accurate than those of their bosses, which supports Snodgrass's original hypothesis.     

The relationship between maternal psychiatric disorder and very young children's coping behaviors

The coping behavior of high-risk infants aged 4 to 36 months was investigated. Two groups of infants (n = 60) (mothers with and without psychiatric disorders) were rated using the Early Coping Inventory (ECI), an observational measure. Results indicated that children whose mothers had chronic psychiatric disorders demonstrated significantly less effective coping behavior on all subscales of the ECI (Sensorimotor Organization, Reactive Behavior, and Self-Initiated Behavior) and on 47 of the 48 items. The at-risk children's behavior was found to be more “situationally effective”; that is, behavior used effectively in one type of situation was not generalized to other types of situations. The greatest discrepancy between the groups was in self-initiated behavior. No significant effects of demographic variables or type or severity of psychiatric disorder were found. Implications for treatment of this high-risk group are discussed. © 1997 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health     

Moderators of the Relationship Between Maternal Substance Abuse Symptoms and Preschool Children’s Behavioral Outcomes

While maternal substance use problems increase the likelihood of behavior problems in children, child outcomes are varied, leading to interest in understanding additional family factors that contribute to the development of behavior problems in children impacted by maternal substance abuse. The purpose of this study is to examine harsh parenting and family conflict as potential moderators of the relationship between symptoms of maternal substance use problems and child externalizing behavior problems. The non-clinical sample for this study included 250 low-income parents whose preschool age children were enrolled in Head Start programs in a Southern state. This study utilized data collected during two home visits, an average of 10 months apart, with data on family functioning and maternal symptoms of substance use problems collected at the first time point and child externalizing behavior collected at the second time point. Over one-third of the children (38.1 %) had clinically elevated externalizing behavior scores. We used regression analysis to examine whether harsh parenting or family conflict moderated the relationship between maternal substance use symptoms and child externalizing behavior. In this community sample, we found that in the absence of family risks related to harsh parenting and family conflict, maternal symptoms of substance use problems did not have a significant impact on child externalizing behavior in preschool children. However, when high levels of family conflict or harsh parenting were present, symptoms of maternal substance use problems increased the risk of externalizing behavior problems in children.     

Food Insecurity: Validation of a Two-Item Screen Using Convergent Risks

Food insecurity impacts children in over 10 % of US homes with negative effects for health, cognitive, and behavioral development. Experiences of food insecurity in childhood also carry negative consequences across the lifespan. Families cannot be connected with needed services when needs are unidentified. However, early detection is essential if the harmful effects of food insecurity are to be limited for children. An efficient and valid screen of food insecurity is needed for use by practitioners such as childcare providers, home visitors, or other intervention program staff working with low-income families. The present study provides evidence of validity for a 2-item screen for food insecurity as conducted by childcare providers. Concurrence with a wide range of convergent validity indicators suggests that 2 items can sufficiently identify families with food insecurity. Convergent indicators included other basic needs, physical health, environmental safety, caregiver mental health, parenting practices, and parenting stress. Sensitivity and specificity analyses also support the use of this screen. This study is the first to document the utility of a brief screen for food insecurity by childcare providers. With an efficient screen, these front-line service providers can be a valuable resource to identify and combat FI and its deleterious effects on children.