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Mind and Body: Concepts of Human Cognition, Physiology and False Belief in Children with Autism or Typical Development

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Abstract

This study examined theory of mind (ToM) and concepts of human biology (eyes, heart, brain, lungs and mind) in a sample of 67 children, including 25 high functioning children with autism (age 6–13), plus age-matched and preschool comparison groups. Contrary to Baron-Cohen [1989, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 19(4), 579–600], most children with autism correctly understood the functions of the brain (84%) and the mind (64%). Their explanations were predominantly mentalistic. They outperformed typically developing preschoolers in understanding inner physiological (heart, lungs) and cognitive (brain, mind) systems, and scored as high as age-matched typical children. Yet, in line with much previous ToM research, most children with autism (60%) failed false belief, and their ToM performance was unrelated to their understanding of. human biology. Results were discussed in relation to neurobiological and social-experiential accounts of the ToM deficit in autism.

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  1. School of Psychology, University of Queensland, 4072 , Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    Candida C. Peterson

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  1. Candida C. Peterson
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Correspondence to Candida C. Peterson.

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Peterson, C.C. Mind and Body: Concepts of Human Cognition, Physiology and False Belief in Children with Autism or Typical Development. J Autism Dev Disord 35, 487–497 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-005-5039-6

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