Theory of Mind in Autism and Imitation Studies

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What aspect of Theory of Mind is suggested to be a key issue in autism according to Baron-Cohen?

Theory of mind deficit (correct)

Ability to imitate actions of others

Social communication skills

Understanding others' emotions

In Iacoboni et al.'s study, which condition showed the greatest activity in the mirror neuron system?

Moving the right index for a left 'x'

Imitating the middle or index finger movements (correct)

Moving the finger on which the x is displayed

Moving the right middle finger for a right 'x'

What consistent finding was reported regarding individuals with autism in the context of imitation?

They readily imitate the actions of others

They specifically imitate emotional expressions

They imitate more than typically developing individuals

They do not readily imitate the actions of others (correct)

In the EEG study by Oberman et al., what was measured to assess mirror neuron dysfunction?

Mu wave activity over motor cortex Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following conditions did controls show greater activation for compared to individuals with ASD, as noted in Williams et al. 2006?

Imitation condition Signup and view all the answers

In the study involving high-functioning children with autism, which condition did not show mu suppression in the participants?

Watching bouncing ball video Signup and view all the answers

What conclusion can be drawn from Cattaneo et al. (2007) regarding mouth muscle activation?

Both groups activate mouth muscles when completing similar tasks. Signup and view all the answers

What finding was reported in Dapretto et al. (2006) regarding the activation of the mirror neuron system?

The more severe the autism, the less the mirror neuron system activated. Signup and view all the answers

Which theory is supported by evidence linking mirror neuron dysfunction and Imitation in autism?

Impairment in imitation is attributed to dysfunction in the mirror neuron system. Signup and view all the answers

What inconsistency in findings related to the mirror neuron system dysfunction in autism was mentioned?

Inconsistent evidence of MNS dysfunction reported in some studies. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of mirror neurons in the context of autism as proposed in the broken mirrors hypothesis?

They are essential for understanding others' intentions. Signup and view all the answers

According to the Direct Matching Hypothesis, what happens when an observer watches an action being performed?

The motor system of the observer mimics the observed action without conscious effort. Signup and view all the answers

What is a major limitation of the mirror neuron deficit theory in relation to autism?

Imitation abilities in autism are not adequately explained by mirror neuron activity. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of discussions on action understanding as described in the content?

To explore the role of context in interpreting ambiguous actions. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the priming task in the study mentioned?

It determines the influence of social primes on constructing grammatically correct sentences. Signup and view all the answers

What does the motor-simulation account struggle to explain according to the criticism presented?

The significance of non-motoric context in understanding actions. Signup and view all the answers

According to the critique, what is necessary to select the correct motor chain for an action?

Inference of the movement’s goal based on context. Signup and view all the answers

What role does the parieto-frontal mirror mechanism play in understanding actions?

It activates motor representations to simulate observed actions. Signup and view all the answers

Why might one simulate a different motor chain for the same observed action in varied contexts?

Different contexts can imply different goals for the observed action. Signup and view all the answers

What is considered a limitation of observing an action in isolation?

It does not allow for understanding the intended outcome of the action. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Broken Mirrors

Theory of mind deficits are a key aspect of autism (Baron-Cohen).
The same thoughts may not be shared due to differing knowledge bases.
Imitation and mirror neurons might underpin theory of mind deficits.
Simulation theory involves putting oneself in another's shoes, acting as if you are that other person.

False Belief Test

A test for theory of mind is the false-belief task.
23/27 control participants (4;5 years old) passed the test
12/14 Down's Syndrome participants (10;11 years old) passed the test.
16/20 autism participants (11;11 years old) failed the test.

Imitation and Mirror Neurons

Three different conditions were tested, involving index finger movements.
Imitating movements where the position is marked with an 'x' (left index or middle finger).
Activity in the mirror neuron system was greater in the first condition (comparing activity to baseline).
The extra activity in the first condition is thought to relate to the mirror neurons coding of imitation.
There are 21 experimental studies on imitation abilities in autistic individuals.
Autistic individuals were found to struggle with imitating the actions of others.

EEG Evidence of Mirror Neuron Dysfunction in Autism

High functioning autistic individuals and healthy controls (13 years old) were compared.
Four conditions were used (watching visual noise, bouncing ball video, moving hand video, moving own hand), all related to the motor cortex.
Controls showed mu wave suppression in conditions c) and d)
Children with autism showed mu wave suppression only in condition d)
Conclusion: Individuals with autism do not mirror hand movements.
Mirror neurons, active in mouth opening muscles, were studied using MEG.

Participants were asked to either place a piece of paper or food on their shoulder/mouth
Typically developing children showed increased mouth muscle activity when watching another person reach for food.
This response was not seen in children with autism.
High functioning children with autism (age 12 years old), and typically developing children were tested.
Children with autism had reduced activation of mirror neuron system compared to their controls.
Participants asked to imitate different emotional expressions.
The more severe autism, the less the mirror neuron system was activated.

Reduced activity in frontal mirror system during emotion imitation in children with autism.

• Theory suggests mirror neurons play a role in imitation and action understanding. • Imitation is impaired in autism, and this could possibly be due to a broken mirror system.

Other points

Clinical observations suggest possible increased imitation in some aspects of autism.
Echolalia and echopraxia are involuntary speech and action repetitions.
Autistic individuals may show difficulties in inhibiting imitation of an action.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

This quiz explores the concept of theory of mind, particularly in relation to autism, and discusses the role of imitation and mirror neurons. It includes insights from various studies, including the false-belief task and the neurophysiological evidence of mirror neuron activity. Test your understanding of these critical theories and their implications for autism research.