The Theory Of Mind A Research Study Into Autism Spectrum...

People understand each other using cognitive skills, such as mindreading. Mindreading abilities also referred to as the theory of mind (ToM) is acknowledging that other people have mental states, such as understanding that others have desires, motives, beliefs and intentions (Hewson, 2015a). For most people this is generally an essential, undemanding skill for social interaction. Thereby, this essay will evaluate how psychology has helped to explain how people understand each other by firstly, explaining how different aspects of ToM have been studied in children. Additionally, adult mindreading will be evaluated to appreciate how people interpret other people’s behaviour. Subsequently, mindreading difficulties will be examined by exploring research into Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), indicating a link between deficits in ToM and cognitive empathy. Finally, relationship conflict will be discussed showing the cognitive processes, people use in these circumstances, which create mindreading difficulties in people who do not generally have a problem with it. An aspect of ToM is false belief. A false belief is the understanding that other people will have different beliefs to one’s own. Studies have shown that false belief develops throughout childhood. The Sally-Anne task (Hewson, 2015c) seeks to discover how false belief progresses in children. Briefly, the experimenter shows a child two puppets, Sally and Anne. Sally places a marble into a basket and leaves the room. AnneShow MoreRelatedThe Characteristics Of Autism Spectrum Disorders ( Asd )949 Words   |  4 Pages 1. What are the characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)? As described in the textbook, there is a broad range of characteristics associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). One of the first characteristics noted with ASD is language deficits, or using language in â€Å"odd† ways. As stated in the textbook, â€Å"Children with classic autism may be nonverbal. Alternatively, they may have significant language difficulties, so that their language may consist primarily of echolalia or delayedRead MoreLanguage Delays And Autism Spectrum Disorder1632 Words   |  7 Pages Language Delays in Autism Spectrum Disorder Bethany Perez Colorado State University Autism spectrum disorder is caused by abnormalities in the brain. Many children that qualify under the autism spectrum disorder, often experience developmental delays in three areas of development. Socially/emotionally, as well as cognitively, children with ASD are unable to progress at a normal rate of development compared to their peers. The level of communication due to language delays can be severelyRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd )1285 Words   |  6 PagesIntroductions: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is defined as a lifelong developmental condition that affects, among other things, the way an individual relates to his or environment and their interaction with other people. The word ‘spectrum’ is the description of a range of difficulties that people with autism may experience and the degree to which they may be affected. Not everyone with autism have an accompanying learning disability and require continued specialist support because some people withRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder And Genetics1437 Words   |  6 PagesAutism Spectrum Disorder and Genetics ASD stands for Autism Spectrum Disorder and since the early 1900’s; it has been a mystery to many researchers and psychologists. Autism is usually noticed in the first three years of life but there are many theories on which it comes about. Before the 1940s, children who showed signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder were labeled schizophrenic, emotionally disturbed, and psychotic (Kartemquin, 2008). Not until about 1943 did Leo Kranner give a clear definition forRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd ) Essay1651 Words   |  7 PagesAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), sometimes referred to as â€Å"autism†, is â€Å"a chronic disorder whose symptoms include failure to develop normal social relations with other people, impaired development of communicative ability, lack of imaginative ability, and repetitive, stereotyped movements†. Individuals with autism disorder have markedly different social and emotional actions and reactions than non-autistic individuals. For exam ple, many autistic children do not seem to care whether or not they getRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder And Autism1492 Words   |  6 Pageslife there are several different disorders that have been well known from many years ago. There is one disorder that was diagnosed in the early 1800’s but it wasn’t until a few years ago that it gained lots of attention. What used to be known as Autism was later renamed in the DSM to Autism Spectrum Disorder meaning, a neurodevelopmental disorder rather than a pervasive developmental disorder (Gargiulo, 2015). Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder characterized by abnormal or impairedRead MoreAutism Spectrum, Asperger, And Pervasive Development Disorder1519 Words   |  7 PagesThe autism spectrum consists of three main disorders, autism, Asperger s, and pervasive development disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS). One issue regarding disorders on the autism spectrum is the minimal research funding for them. While treatable diseases are heavily studied due to the search for a cure, the disorders on the autism spectrum cannot be treated. The complication of limited funding is that people are not dealing with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) correctly, which worsens theRead MoreTreatment Options Used for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder1440 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is known as a neurodevelopmental disorder that is capable of weakening communication, behavior and socialization. The term ASD includes three major subtypes which is Autism Spectrum Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder and Asperger’s Disorder. About 9.0 in 1000 children have ASD and certain types of autism might not be identified until three years of life. The probability of boys being diagnosed is higher compared to girls (Bravaccio et al. 2013)Read MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd )798 Words   |  4 PagesAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a disorder characterised by a triad of impairments in social interaction, communication and repetitive behaviour and restricted interest. This spectrum is observed to affect three times more males than females (Hill, 2004). ASD is a syndrome that Leo Kanner first explained while observing the behaviour of children he was researching. He describes that they had particular traits such as the inability to establish social relatedness with other people, failure to useRead MoreGender Theory1544 Words   |  7 Pagesto girl ratio found in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This gender disparity, although heavily studied, is little understood. There are two main theories that attempt to explain this gender disparity: the extreme male brain theory, which is supported by research on fetal testosterone, X-chromosomes, Y-chromosomes, and the female protective effect; and the biased diagnostic criteria theory, which is also supported by many research studies that explore phenotypic differences in the