Baron-Cohen Study

Psychology being studied:

  • Baron-cohen created a test for the theory of mind, which is a person’s ability to interpret social sensitivity, a person’s mental state

  • Tested social sensitivity and theory of mind in individuals with AS/HFA

Background:

  • autism lacks theory of the mind

  • first used on children in 1985 referred to as the “Sally Anne test”

  • the test was later used in 1997 referred to as the “eyes test”

  • had a lot of methodological weaknesses and was later revised in 2001

Aim:

  1. Test if ppl with AS/HFA would score better on the revised version of the “eyes test” or if there were still the same deficits

  2. To test same same of adults to see if there would be a negative correlation between R-ET and AQ

  3. To test if there is a gender difference in the R-ET

Laboratory experiment:

  • wanted to know if there was a correlation between AQ (autism quotient) and Eyes Test Scores

  • AQ: how many associations a person has to autism

Groups

  1. 15 males with AS/HFA (volunteer sampling)

  2. 122 neurotypical adults - control (opportunity sampling)

  3. 103 neurotypical undergrad Cambridge students with high IQ

  4. 14 individuals matched in IQ and age to group 1