Autism and dimensionality: differences between copying and drawing tasks.
Previous research suggests individuals with autism may be less influenced by a three-dimensional interpretation when copying line drawings (Sheppard et al. J Autism Dev Disord 37:1913-1924, 2007). The current research aimed to determine whether this reduced dimensionality effect extends to drawings of an actual object. Twenty-four children and adolescents with autism and 24 comparison participants copied one line drawing with no depth cues, line drawings with a three-dimensional interpretation, and drew a actual three-dimensional object. Participants with autism were less influenced by three-dimensionality on the copying tasks but were equally affected when drawing the actual object. This suggests that any advantage for three-dimensional drawing in non-savant individuals with autism is confined to situations when the individual copies a line drawing with depth cues.
Sheppard
Elizabeth
E
School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG72RD, UK. lpxes@psychology.nottingham.ac.uk
Ropar
Danielle
D
Mitchell
Peter
P
D000293:Adolescent; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003867:Depth Perception; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D013028:Space Perception