Central coherence and the shaping of expertise in design: evidence from designers with autism spectrum conditions

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 321-330
Author(s):  
Andy Dong ◽  
Ann Heylighen
Keyword(s):  
Information Processing ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Weak Central Coherence ◽  
Central Coherence ◽  
Autism Spectrum Conditions ◽  
Coherence Theory ◽  
Design Practice ◽  
Cognitive Behaviors ◽  
Personal Experiences

AbstractThis paper proposes to contribute to our understanding of the fundamental cognitive processes essential to designing by exploring the experiences of people who have different information processing behaviors to those found in most people. In particular, we focus on people with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) because they are known to have information processing behaviors that are both maladaptive and exceptional. Central to our study is the question: what can we learn from people with ASC about cognitive processes essential to designing? The scholarship on cognitive behaviors associated with the autism spectrum and narratives on the experiences with design practice by individuals with ASC are discussed in relation to cognitive processes associated with designing. In turn, the individuals commented upon the analysis of cognitive processes associated with designing in light of their personal experiences with design practice. We conclude that the weak central coherence theory of autism provides a useful prediction of the cognitive processes necessary for expertise in design, and that both the framework for expertise in design and the way it is studied may require updating.

Understanding the Mind of a Student with Autism in Music Class

2017 ◽  
Vol 104 (2) ◽  
pp. 21-26
Author(s):  
Ryan M. Hourigan ◽  
Alice M. Hammel
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Weak Central Coherence ◽  
Central Coherence ◽  
Music Classroom ◽  
Support Tools ◽  
Students With Autism ◽  
Music Class ◽  
The Mind ◽  
Music Classrooms

This article offers a unique look into the cognitive processes of students with autism spectrum disorder in music classrooms. Concepts include theory of mind, weak central coherence, executive function, joint attention, and social attention. Behavior implications are also examined. Specific examples of support tools for the music classroom are provided.

The Summer of Adventure

2020 ◽  
pp. 25-52
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Fein
Keyword(s):  
Role Playing ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Weak Central Coherence ◽  
Central Coherence ◽  
Autism Spectrum Conditions ◽  
Interpersonal Coordination ◽  
Cognitive Characteristics ◽  
Clinical Ethnography ◽  
Alternative Culture ◽  
Live Action

This chapter chronicles a summer of clinical ethnography at a camp for youth with Asperger’s syndrome and related autism spectrum conditions, run by a close-knit community of live-action role-playing (LARP) gamers aiming to be inclusive of neurodiversity. Within this alternative culture with its alternative norms, the neurodevelopmental differences associated with Asperger’s took on new and valued meanings and manifestations. The chapter reviews predominant theories about cognition in autism (theory of mind, executive function, and weak central coherence), depicting these attributes not as individual deficits but as collaborative engagements with the physical, cultural, and symbolic materials of the surrounding world. Autism, the chapter proposes, is characterized by a heightened reliance on external systems of organization to create a sense of experiential coherence and to fend off existential threats of meaninglessness and chaos. LARP games offer one such system of organization through their framework of stable, shared narratives, and genre conventions. These resources support interpersonal coordination, bringing together people who share relevant cognitive characteristics into a tenuous but deeply valued community.

scholarly journals Application of the Theory of Mind, Theory of Executive Functions and Weak Central Coherence Theory to Individuals with ASD

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine K. Syriopoulou Delli ◽  
Asimis Varveris ◽  
Alexandra Geronta
Keyword(s):  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Weak Central Coherence ◽  
Central Coherence ◽  
Coherence Theory ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Mind Theory ◽  
Local Interference ◽  
Weak Central Coherence Theory

The present study examined the application of three cognitive theories—the Theory of Mind (ToM) deficit, the Theory of Executive Functions (EF) and Weak Central Coherence Theory (WCC)—in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). 9 children with ASD and 18 children of Typical Development (TD) participated in the study. According to the results, most of the children with ASD showed significant deficits in the development of ToM, while a few of them succeeded in all the ToM tests. With regard to EF theory, the children with ASD did not present a deficit in any of the four executive functions in which they were examined, since their performances were similar to those of TD children. As for the WCC theory, the results cannot support the existence of a deficit. However, it seems that children with ASD struggle in respect of global precedence when a local interference effect is present.

Using Technology to Support Social Competence

2015 ◽  
pp. 336-355
Author(s):  
Brenda Smith Myles ◽  
Jan Rogers ◽  
Amy Bixler Coffin ◽  
Wendy Szakacs ◽  
Theresa Earles-Vollrath
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Social Competence ◽  
High Technology ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Home School ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Weak Central Coherence ◽  
Central Coherence ◽  
Evidence Based

Social competence includes a complex set of skills that impacts quality of life across all environments: home, school, employment, and the community. Elements that impact social competence, such as theory of mind, weak central coherence, regulation and relationship building, must be taught to individuals with disabilities, including those with autism spectrum disorder. Evidence-based interventions that incorporate low, medium and high technology have the potential to support skill development in social competence in a meaningful manner. This chapter reviews the concept known as social competence and offers a variety of practices to support its development.

scholarly journals No association between autistic traits and contextual influences on eye-movements during reading

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan Caruana ◽  
Jon Brock
Keyword(s):  
Eye Movements ◽  
Contextual Information ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Weak Central Coherence ◽  
Central Coherence ◽  
Autism Spectrum Quotient ◽  
Contextual Influences ◽  
Tentative Evidence ◽  
Preceding Sentence

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders are claimed to show a local cognitive bias, termed “weak central coherence”, which manifests in a reduced influence of contextual information on linguistic processing. Here, we investigated whether this bias might also be demonstrated by individuals who exhibit sub-clinical levels of autistic traits, as has been found for other aspects of autistic cognition. The eye-movements of 71 university students were monitored as they completed a reading comprehension task. Consistent with previous studies, participants made shorter fixations on words that were highly predicted on the basis of preceding sentence context. However, contrary to the weak central coherence account, this effect was not reduced amongst individuals with high levels of autistic traits, as measured by the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ). Further exploratory analyses revealed that participants with high AQ scores fixated longer on words that resolved the meaning of an earlier homograph. However, this was only the case for sentences where the two potential meanings of the homograph result in different pronunciations. The results provide tentative evidence for differences in reading style that are associated with autistic traits, but fail to support the notion of weak central coherence extending into the non-autistic population.

scholarly journals Talent in autism: hyper-systemizing, hyper-attention to detail and sensory hypersensitivity

2009 ◽  
Vol 364 (1522) ◽  
pp. 1377-1383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Baron-Cohen ◽  
Emma Ashwin ◽  
Chris Ashwin ◽  
Teresa Tavassoli ◽  
Bhismadev Chakrabarti
Keyword(s):  
Executive Dysfunction ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Central Coherence ◽  
Autism Spectrum Conditions ◽  
Sensory Level ◽  
Detection Thresholds ◽  
Sensory Hypersensitivity ◽  
Pattern Recognition Systems ◽  
Recognition Systems ◽  
Attention To Detail

We argue that hyper-systemizing predisposes individuals to show talent, and review evidence that hyper-systemizing is part of the cognitive style of people with autism spectrum conditions (ASC). We then clarify the hyper-systemizing theory, contrasting it to the weak central coherence (WCC) and executive dysfunction (ED) theories. The ED theory has difficulty explaining the existence of talent in ASC. While both hyper-systemizing and WCC theories postulate excellent attention to detail , by itself excellent attention to detail will not produce talent. By contrast, the hyper-systemizing theory argues that the excellent attention to detail is directed towards detecting ‘if p, then q’ rules (or [input–operation–output] reasoning). Such law-based pattern recognition systems can produce talent in systemizable domains. Finally, we argue that the excellent attention to detail in ASC is itself a consequence of sensory hypersensitivity . We review an experiment from our laboratory demonstrating sensory hypersensitivity detection thresholds in vision. We conclude that the origins of the association between autism and talent begin at the sensory level, include excellent attention to detail and end with hyper-systemizing.

scholarly journals Challenging Weak Central Coherence: A Brief Exploration of Neurological Evidence from Visual Processing and Linguistic Studies in Autism Spectrum Disorder

2019 ◽  
pp. 136-143
Author(s):  
Jessica Scher Lisa ◽  
Eric Shyman
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Visual Processing ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Weak Central Coherence ◽  
Central Coherence ◽  
Root Cause ◽  
Visuospatial Processing ◽  
Neuro Imaging

Previous theories have attempted to locate the root cause of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in terms of a typical central cognitive processes. However, the field of neuroscience is increasingly finding structural and functional differences between autistic and neuro-typical individuals using neuro-imaging technology which either support or challenge earlier cognitive theories. One main area upon which this research has focused is in visuospatial processing, with specific attention to the notion of “weak central coherence” (WCC), which refers to the tendency of individuals with ASD to be unable to interpret “global” information while hyper-focusing on local information. The current paper offers a brief review of findings from selected studies in order to explore available research that challenges the “deficit” characterization of a WCC theory as opposed to a “superiority” characterization of a strong local coherence.

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