title: Exploring the Cognitive Foundations of the Shared Attention Mechanism: Evidence for a Relationship Between Self-Categorization and Shared Attention Across the Autism Spectrum.
abstract: The social difficulties of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are typically explained as a disruption in the Shared Attention Mechanism (SAM) sub-component of the theory of mind (ToM) system. In the current paper, we explore the hypothesis that SAM's capacity to construct the self-other-object relations necessary for shared-attention arises from a self-categorization process, which is weaker among those with more autistic-like traits. We present participants with self-categorization and shared-attention tasks, and measure their autism-spectrum quotient (AQ). Results reveal a negative relationship between AQ and shared-attention, via self-categorization, suggesting a role for self-categorization in the disruption in SAM seen in ASD. Implications for intervention, and for a ToM model in which weak central coherence plays a role are discussed.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Queensland, McElwain Building, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia. d.skorich@uq.edu.au.|Research School of Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. d.skorich@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Daniel P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Skorich
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Queensland, McElwain Building, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Tahlia B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Gash
authors.affiliation: Research School of Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
authors.forename: Katie L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Stalker
authors.affiliation: School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Lidan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Queensland, McElwain Building, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: S Alexander
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Haslam
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001288:Attention; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012649:Self Concept; D056345:Theory of Mind; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Categorization; Self-categorization; Shared attention; Theory of mind; Weak central coherence