Theory of Mind-Based Action in Children from the Autism Spectrum

• Published in: Journal of autism and developmental disorders Vol. 33; no. 5; pp. 479 - 487
• Main Authors: Begeer, Sander, Rieffe, Carolien, Terwogt, Mark Meerum, Stockmann, Lex
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01.10.2003; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Autism; Autistic children; Autistic Disorder - psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child clinical studies; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive - psychology; Cognition; Conflict (Psychology); Culture; Developmental disorders; Elementary Education; False Beliefs; Female; High functioning; Humans; Infantile autism; Intention; Male; Medical sciences; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Positive Reinforcement; Psychological Theory; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Severity (of Disability); Social Cognition; Student Characteristics; Task performance; Theory of Mind; Thinking; Human; PDDNOS; Mental representation; Developmental disorder; Cognition; Token reinforcement; Theory of mind; Preadolescent; Autism; Pervasive developmental disorder; high-functioning; School age; action; Performance; Child
• ISSN: 0162-3257; 1573-3432
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1025875311062

Children (ages 7-12) were invited to carry out two tasks. Sabotage resulted in the experimenter appearing to have a false belief. Whereas children with pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (n=12) corrected the false belief in the rewarded task condition, children with autism (n=10) were not influenced by task condition. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)