title: Evidence for a cultural influence on field-independence in autism spectrum disorder.
abstract: Field-independence, or weak central coherence, is a recognised phenotype of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There is also evidence of cultural variation in this perceptual style, as neurotypical individuals from Western nations are more field-independent than neurotypical individuals from East-Asian nations. The majority of research on perceptual style in those with ASD has been carried out in Western nations therefore it is unclear whether increased field-independence in ASD is a culturally universal phenotype. Here, we assessed perceptual style in children with and without ASD from England and Singapore using the Children's Embedded Figures Test and the Framed-Line Test. We found increased field-independence in the English participants with ASD only, suggesting that weak central coherence in ASD is not culturally universal.
authors: Department of Psychology, The University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, United Kingdom.
authors: Hwan Cui
authors: HC
authors: Koh
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: Milne
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000523:psychology*; D003469:Culture; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D012846:Singapore; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*