Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Brief Report: The Relationship Between Visual Acuity, the Embedded Figures Test and Systemizing in Autism Spectrum Disorders

  • Brief Report
  • Published:
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Enhanced performance upon the Embedded Figures Test (EFT) in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has informed psychological theories of the non-social aspects that characterise ASD. The Extreme Male Brain theory of autism proposes that enhanced visual acuity underpins greater attention to detail (assessed by the EFT) which is a prerequisite for Systemizing. To date, however, no study has empirically examined these relationships. 13 males with ASD and 13 male controls were assessed upon tasks argued to reflect these levels of processing. The ASD group were found to have significantly greater visual acuity, EFT performance and Systemizing ability than the control group. However, regression analysis revealed that the strongest relationship was between visual acuity and EFT performance.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

References

  • Ashwin, E., Ashwin, C., Rhydderch, D., Howells, J., & Baron-Cohen, S. (2009a). Eagle-eyed visual acuity: An experimental investigation of enhanced perception in autism. Biological Psychiatry, 65, 17–21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ashwin, E., Ashwin, C., Tavassoli, T., Chakrabarti, B., & Baron-Cohen, S. (2009b). Eagle-eyed visual acuity in autism. Biological Psychiatry, 66, e23–e24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bach, M. (1996). The Freiburg Visual Acuity test (FrACT)–automatic measurement of visual acuity. Optometry and Vision Science, 73, 49–53. [FrACT is available at: http://www.michaelbach.de/fract/index.html. Last accessed November 25th, 2011].

  • Bach, M., & Dakin, S. C. (2009). Regarding ‘‘eagle-eyed visual acuity: an experimental investigation of enhanced perception in autism’’. Biological Psychiatry, 66, e19–e20.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Baron-Cohen, S. (2002). The extreme male brain theory of autism. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 6, 248–254.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Baron-Cohen, S., Ashwin, E., Ashwin, C., Tavassoli, T., & Chakrabarti, B. (2009). Talent in autism: Hyper-systemizing, hyper-attention to detail and sensory hypersensitivity. Philosophical transactions—Royal Society Biological Sciences, 364, 1377–1383.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baron-Cohen, S., Wheelwright, S., Scahill, V., Lawson, J., & Spong, A. (2001). Are intuitive physics and intuitive psychology independent? A test with children with Asperger Syndrome. Journal of Developmental and Learning Disorders, 5, 47–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bölte, S., Schlitt, S., Gapp, V., Hainz, D., Schirman, S., Poustka, F., Walter, H. (2011). A close eye on the eagle-eyed visual acuity hypothesis of autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders [Epub ahead of print].

  • Brosnan, M., Daggar, R., & Collomosse, J. (2010). The relationship between systemising and mental rotation and the implications for the extreme male brain theory of autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 40, 1–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Burg, A. (1966). Visual acuity as measured by dynamic and static tests: A comparative evaluation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 50, 460–466.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Crewther, D. P., & Sutherland, A. (2009). The more he looked inside, the more piglet wasn’t there: Is autism really blessed with visual hyperacuity? Biological Psychiatry, 66, e21–e22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Falkmer, M., Stuart, G. W., Danielsson, H., Bram, S., Lönebrink, M., & Falkmer, T. (2011). Visual acuity in adults with asperger’s syndrome: No evidence for “eagle-eyed” vision. Biological Psychiatry, 70, 812–816.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Falter, C. M., Plaisted, K. C., & Davis, G. (2008). Visuo-spatial processing in autism: Testing the predictions of extreme male brain theory. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38, 507–515.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Farran, E. K., & Brosnan, M. J. (2011). Perceptual grouping abilities in individuals with autism spectrum disorder; exploring patterns of ability in relation to grouping type and levels of development. Autism Research, 4, 283–292.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grinter, E. J., Beek, P. L., Maybery, M. T., & Badcock, D. R. (2009). Brief report: Visuospatial analysis and self-rated autistic-like traits. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 39, 670–677.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ishigaki, H., & Miyao, M. (1994). Implications for dynamic visual acuity with changes in and sex. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 78, 363–369.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kanne, S. M., Christ, S. E., & Reiersen, A. M. (2009). Psychiatric symptoms and psychosocial difficulties in young adults with autistic traits. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 39, 827–833.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Keita, L., Mottron, L., & Bertone, A. (2010). Far visual acuity is unremarkable in autism: Do we need to focus on crowding? Autism Research, 3, 333–341.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Milne, E., Griffiths, H., Buckley, D., & Scope, A. (2009). Vision in children and adolescents with autistic spectrum disorder: Evidence for reduced convergence. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 39, 965–975.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mottron, L., Dawson, M., Soulieres, I., Hubert, B., & Burack, J. A. (2006). Enhanced perceptual functioning in autism: An Update and eight principles of autistic perception. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 36, 27–43.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • O’Riordan, M., & Plaisted, K. (2001). Enhanced discrimination in autism. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 54A, 961–979.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Riordan, M., Plaisted, K., Driver, J., & Baron-Cohen, S. (2001). Superior visual search in autism. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 27, 719–730.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Plaisted, K. C. (2001). Reduced generalization: An alternative to weak central coherence. In J. A. Burack, A. Charman, N. Yirmiya, & P. R. Zelazo (Eds.), Development and autism: Perspectives from theory and research. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Plaisted, K., O’Riordan, M., & Baron-Cohen, S. (1998a). Enhanced discrimination of novel, highly similar stimuli by adults with autism during a perceptual learning task. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 39, 765–775.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Plaisted, K., O’Riordan, M., & Baron-Cohen, S. (1998b). Enhanced visual search for a conjunctive target in autism: A research note. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 39, 777–783.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Preacher, K. J., & Hayes, A. F. (2008). Asymptotic and resampling strategies for assessing and comparing indirect effects in multiple mediator models. Behavior Research Methods, 40, 879–891.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schrauf, M., Wist, E. R., & Ehrenstein, W. H. (1999). Development of dynamic vision based on motion contrast. Experimental Brain Research, 124, 469–473.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shah, A., & Frith, U. (1983). An islet of ability in autism: A research note. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 24, 613–662.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shrout, P. E., & Bolger, N. (2002). Mediation in experimental and nonexperimental studies: New procedures and recommendations. Psychological Methods, 7, 422–445.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tavassoli, T., Latham, K., Bach, M., Dakin, S. C., & Baron-Cohen, S. (2011). Psychophysical measures of visual acuity in autism spectrum conditions. Vision Research, 51, 1778–1780.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wechsler, D. (1999). Wechsler abbreviated scale of intelligence (WASI). San Antonio, TX: Harcourt Assessment.

    Google Scholar 

  • Witkin, H., Oltman, P., Raskin, E., & Karp, S. (1971). A manual for the Embedded Figures Test. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK

    Mark J. Brosnan, Lucy R. Gwilliam & Ian Walker

Authors
  1. Mark J. Brosnan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lucy R. Gwilliam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ian Walker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mark J. Brosnan.

Additional information

We thank Drs. Falter and Davis for use of the computerised EFT.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brosnan, M.J., Gwilliam, L.R. & Walker, I. Brief Report: The Relationship Between Visual Acuity, the Embedded Figures Test and Systemizing in Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 42, 2491–2497 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-012-1505-0

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-012-1505-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation