Baron-Cohen et al. 2001

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

A neurodevelopmental disorder impairing a child's ability to communicate and interact.

High Functioning Autism (HFA)

A subtype of Autism Spectrum Disorder characterized by relatively preserved cognitive and language abilities.

Asperger's Syndrome (AS)

A subtype of Autism Spectrum Disorder that primarily affects language and communication skills.

Autism Spectrum Quotient Test (AQ)

A self-report questionnaire used to measure autistic traits, with scores ranging from 0 to 50.

Theory of Mind (ToM)

The ability to understand and interpret the mental states of others.

Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RET)

A task developed by Baron-Cohen to assess individuals' ability to identify emotions based on eye expressions.

Quasi-experiment

A research design that lacks random assignment of participants to conditions.

Independent Groups Design

A research design where different groups of participants are assigned to different conditions.

Independent Variables

Factors manipulated by the researcher to observe their effects on the dependent variables.

Dependent Variables

Variables that are measured or observed to determine the effects of the independent variables.

Gender Identification

The ability to correctly identify the gender of individuals based on eye expressions.

Internal Validity

The extent to which a study accurately measures the variables it claims to measure.

Ecological Validity

The extent to which the findings of a study can be generalized to real-life situations.

Lab Experiment

A research method conducted in a controlled laboratory setting.

Confounding Variables

Variables that are not the focus of the study but may influence the results.

Generalization

The ability to apply research findings to a larger population or real-world context.

Individual Explanation

The idea that individual characteristics or skills contribute to the observed results.

Situational Explanation

The idea that environmental factors or conditions influence the observed results.

Anne and Sally Test

A test used to assess children's theory of mind by evaluating their understanding of false beliefs.