The relationship between systemising and mental rotation and the implications for the extreme male brain theory of autism.
Within the Extreme Male Brain theory, Autism Spectrum Disorder is characterised as a deficit in empathising in conjunction with preserved or enhanced systemising. A male advantage in systemising is argued to underpin the traditional male advantage in mental rotation tasks. Mental rotation tasks can be separated into rotational and non-rotational components, and circulating testosterone has been found to consistently relate to the latter component. Systemising was found to correlate with mental rotation, specifically the non-rotational component(s) of the mental rotation task but not the rotational component of the task. Systemising also correlated with a proxy for circulating testosterone but not a proxy for prenatal testosterone. A sex difference was identified in systemising and the non-rotational aspect of the mental rotation task.
Brosnan
Mark
M
Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath BA27AY, UK. M.J.Brosnan@bath.ac.uk
Daggar
Rajiv
R
Collomosse
John
J
D000328:Adult; D001321:Autistic Disorder; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012399:Rotation