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Recall of a live and personally experienced eyewitness event by adults with autism spectrum disorder

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to (a) extend previous eyewitness research in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using a live and personally experienced event; (b) examine whether witnesses with ASD demonstrate a facilitative effect in memory for self- over other-performed actions; (c) explore source monitoring abilities by witnesses with ASD in discriminating who performed which actions within the event. Eighteen high-functioning adults with ASD and 18 age- and IQ-matched typical counterparts participated in a live first aid scenario in which they and the experimenter each performed a number of actions. Participants were subsequently interviewed for their memory of the event using a standard interview procedure with free recall followed by questioning. The ASD group recalled just as many correct details as the comparison group from the event overall, however they made more errors. This was the case across both free recall and questioning phases. Both groups showed a self-enactment effect across both interview phases, recalling more actions that they had performed themselves than actions that the experimenter had performed. However, the ASD group were more likely than their typical comparisons to confuse the source of self-performed actions in free recall, but not in questioning, which may indicate executive functioning difficulties with unsupported test procedures. Findings are discussed in terms of their theoretical and practical implications.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Dr. Sebastian Gaigg and four anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments in preparing and revising this manuscript. We also gratefully acknowledge the Economic and Social Research Council for supporting the research presented here (grant number ES/J003379/1).

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  1. Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK

    Katie L. Maras & Amina Memon

  2. City University London, London, UK

    Anna Lambrechts & Dermot M. Bowler

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  1. Katie L. Maras
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Correspondence to Katie L. Maras.

Appendix: Summary of self- and other-performed actions in scripted first aid scenario

Appendix: Summary of self- and other-performed actions in scripted first aid scenario

Self- and other-performed actions are denoted by (S) and (O), respectively.

Assessing situation/initial actions

The experimenter asks the participant to get (S) and put out the hazard triangle (S) the experimenter takes the fluorescent tabard from table (O) and gives it to the participant to put on (S). The experimenter goes over the manikin and says “Hello, can you hear me?” (O). She then taps the manikin on the shoulders (O).

The participant checks the manikin’s trouser pockets (S) and finds keys and a wallet/card. The experimenter takes the card and reads out the name on it (O). The experimenter says “Are you ok, James?” (O) and puts her ear to his mouth to check his breathing (O). The participant loosens his tie (S) and the experimenter undoes his top two shirt buttons (O).

Hand wound

The participant gets a tea towel from the table (S) and holds it on the hand to stop the bleeding (S) whilst the experimenter lifts the arm (O) to reduce blood flow to the area. Once the experimenter indicates that the bleeding has stopped the experimenter gets a bandage (O) from the first aid kit (which is already unravelled). The experimenter then takes the tea towel away (O), and the participant rolls up the bandage (S). The experimenter wraps the bandage around the manikin’s hand (O) and the participant ties the knot in the bandage (S).

Burn

The experimenter rolls the manikin’s sleeve up (O) and says that he has a burn on his arm that has cooled but needs to be wrapped in cling film. The participant takes off his wrist watch (S) and gets the cling film from the table (S). The experimenter opens the cling film and holds it out over the burn (O) and then the participant takes over and wraps it round the burn (S).

Broken leg

The experimenter says that the manikin’s leg looks like it might be broken and gets a cotton blanket from the corner (O). The participant lifts the leg (S) so that the experimenter can place the blanket under (O) to stabilise it. The participant then gets the foil blanket (S) and wraps it around the manikin (S) to keep him warm.

Broken arm

The experimenter explains that the arm may also be broken so they need to put a sling on it. The participant gets a pad from the first aid kit (S). The experimenter takes off her scarf (O), and takes the pad and puts it between the manikin’s arm and chest (O). The participant pulls the scarf-sling under the arm (S) and the experimenter ties it in a knot at the end (O).

Foot wound

There is a hole in one of the manikin’s socks, so the participant removes it to check for a wound (S). The experimenter takes a band aid from the first aid kit (O), and the participant sticks the band aid on the wound (S).

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Maras, K.L., Memon, A., Lambrechts, A. et al. Recall of a live and personally experienced eyewitness event by adults with autism spectrum disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 43, 1798–1810 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-012-1729-z

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