Skip to main content
Top
Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 6/2009

01-06-2009 | Original Paper

Language and Theory of Mind in Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Relationship Between Complement Syntax and False Belief Task Performance

Auteurs: Sophie E. Lind, Dermot M. Bowler

Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | Uitgave 6/2009

Log in om toegang te krijgen
share
DELEN

Deel dit onderdeel of sectie (kopieer de link)

  • Optie A:
    Klik op de rechtermuisknop op de link en selecteer de optie “linkadres kopiëren”
  • Optie B:
    Deel de link per e-mail

Abstract

This study aimed to test the hypothesis that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) use their knowledge of complement syntax as a means of “hacking out” solutions to false belief tasks, despite lacking a representational theory of mind (ToM). Participants completed a “memory for complements” task, a measure of receptive vocabulary, and traditional location change and unexpected contents false belief tasks. Consistent with predictions, the correlation between complement syntax score and location change task performance was significantly stronger within the ASD group than within the comparison group. However, contrary to predictions, complement syntax score was not significantly correlated with unexpected contents task performance within either group. Possible explanations for this pattern of results are considered.
Bijlagen
Alleen toegankelijk voor geautoriseerde gebruikers
Voetnoten
1
However, it should be noted that a degree of caution should be exercised before drawing strong conclusions on the basis of Tager-Flusberg and Joseph’s (2005) findings alone. The sample size in their study was insufficient for the multiple regression analysis that was used, and the results of this analysis were not fully reported. These results may not, therefore, be reliable.
 
Literatuur
go back to reference American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual (4th ed.). New York: American Psychiatric Association. American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual (4th ed.). New York: American Psychiatric Association.
go back to reference De Villiers, J.G. (1995). Questioning minds and answering machines. In D. MacLaughlin & S. McEwen (Eds.), Proceedings of the 19th Boston University Conference on Language Development (pp. 20–36). Somerville, MA: Cascadilla. De Villiers, J.G. (1995). Questioning minds and answering machines. In D. MacLaughlin & S. McEwen (Eds.), Proceedings of the 19th Boston University Conference on Language Development (pp. 20–36). Somerville, MA: Cascadilla.
go back to reference De Villiers, J. G., & Pyers, J. (2002). Complements to cognition: A longitudinal study of the relationship between complex syntax and false belief understanding. Cognitive Development, 17, 1037–1060. doi:10.1016/S0885-2014(02)00073-4.CrossRef De Villiers, J. G., & Pyers, J. (2002). Complements to cognition: A longitudinal study of the relationship between complex syntax and false belief understanding. Cognitive Development, 17, 1037–1060. doi:10.​1016/​S0885-2014(02)00073-4.CrossRef
go back to reference Dennett, D. C. (1978). Beliefs about beliefs. The Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 1, 568–570. Dennett, D. C. (1978). Beliefs about beliefs. The Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 1, 568–570.
go back to reference Dunn, L. M., Dunn, L. M., Whetton, C., & Burley, L. (1997). British picture vocabulary scale (2nd ed.). Windson, UK: NFER-Nelson. Dunn, L. M., Dunn, L. M., Whetton, C., & Burley, L. (1997). British picture vocabulary scale (2nd ed.). Windson, UK: NFER-Nelson.
go back to reference Fisher, N., Happé, F., & Dunn, J. (2005). The relationship between vocabulary, grammar, and false belief task performance in children with autistic spectrum disorders and children with moderate learning difficulties. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 46, 409–419. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.00371.x.CrossRef Fisher, N., Happé, F., & Dunn, J. (2005). The relationship between vocabulary, grammar, and false belief task performance in children with autistic spectrum disorders and children with moderate learning difficulties. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 46, 409–419. doi:10.​1111/​j.​1469-7610.​2004.​00371.​x.CrossRef
go back to reference Frith, U. (1989). Autism: Explaining the enigma. Oxford: Blackwell. Frith, U. (1989). Autism: Explaining the enigma. Oxford: Blackwell.
go back to reference Leslie, A. M., & Roth, D. (1993). What autism teaches us about metarepresentation. In S. Baron-Cohen, H. Tager-Flusberg, & D. Cohen (Eds.), Understanding other minds: Perspectives from autism (pp. 83–111). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Leslie, A. M., & Roth, D. (1993). What autism teaches us about metarepresentation. In S. Baron-Cohen, H. Tager-Flusberg, & D. Cohen (Eds.), Understanding other minds: Perspectives from autism (pp. 83–111). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
go back to reference Perner, J., Leekam, S., & Wimmer, H. (1987). Three-year-olds’ difficulty with false belief: The case for a conceptual deficit. The British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 5, 125–137. Perner, J., Leekam, S., & Wimmer, H. (1987). Three-year-olds’ difficulty with false belief: The case for a conceptual deficit. The British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 5, 125–137.
go back to reference Premack, D., & Woodruff, G. (1978). Does the chimpanzee have a theory of mind? The Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 4, 515–526.CrossRef Premack, D., & Woodruff, G. (1978). Does the chimpanzee have a theory of mind? The Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 4, 515–526.CrossRef
go back to reference Ruffman, T., Slade, L., Rowlandson, K., Rumsey, C., & Garnham, A. (2003). How language relates to belief, desire, and emotion understanding. Cognitive Development, 18, 139–158. Ruffman, T., Slade, L., Rowlandson, K., Rumsey, C., & Garnham, A. (2003). How language relates to belief, desire, and emotion understanding. Cognitive Development, 18, 139–158.
go back to reference Tager-Flusberg, H. (2000). Language and understanding minds: Connections in autism. In S. Baron-Cohen, H. Tager-Flusberg, & D. J. Cohen (Eds.), Understanding other minds: perspectives from developmental cognitive neuroscience (2nd ed., pp. 124–149). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Tager-Flusberg, H. (2000). Language and understanding minds: Connections in autism. In S. Baron-Cohen, H. Tager-Flusberg, & D. J. Cohen (Eds.), Understanding other minds: perspectives from developmental cognitive neuroscience (2nd ed., pp. 124–149). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
go back to reference Tager-Flusberg, H., & Joseph, R. M. (2005). How language facilitates the acquisition of false beliefs in children with autism. In J. W. Astington & J. A. Baird (Eds.), Why language matters for theory of mind. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Tager-Flusberg, H., & Joseph, R. M. (2005). How language facilitates the acquisition of false beliefs in children with autism. In J. W. Astington & J. A. Baird (Eds.), Why language matters for theory of mind. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
go back to reference World Heath Organisation. (1993). International classification of mental and behavioural disorders: Clinical descriptions and diagnostic guidelines (10th ed.). Geneva, Switzerland: World Heath Organisation. World Heath Organisation. (1993). International classification of mental and behavioural disorders: Clinical descriptions and diagnostic guidelines (10th ed.). Geneva, Switzerland: World Heath Organisation.
go back to reference Yirmiya, N., Erel, O., Shaked, M., & Solomonica-Levi, D. (1998). Meta-analysis comparing theory of mind abilities in individuals with autism, individuals with mental retardation, and normally developing individuals. Psychological Bulletin, 124, 283–307. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.124.3.283.PubMedCrossRef Yirmiya, N., Erel, O., Shaked, M., & Solomonica-Levi, D. (1998). Meta-analysis comparing theory of mind abilities in individuals with autism, individuals with mental retardation, and normally developing individuals. Psychological Bulletin, 124, 283–307. doi:10.​1037/​0033-2909.​124.​3.​283.PubMedCrossRef
Metagegevens
Titel
Language and Theory of Mind in Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Relationship Between Complement Syntax and False Belief Task Performance
Auteurs
Sophie E. Lind
Dermot M. Bowler
Publicatiedatum
01-06-2009
Uitgeverij
Springer US
Gepubliceerd in
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders / Uitgave 6/2009
Print ISSN: 0162-3257
Elektronisch ISSN: 1573-3432
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-009-0702-y

Andere artikelen Uitgave 6/2009

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 6/2009 Naar de uitgave