A Different Mind Research Paper

Autism is a developmental disorder, which is characterized by a dyad of difficulties in a) communication and social interaction and b) restricted interests and imagination (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Individuals on the Autism Spectrum might find it challenging to understand what other people think or what the reasons for their behaviours are, as their ‘theory of mind’ may not be well developed (Schuwerk, Vuori & Sodian, 2015). It is possible that this is why they might behave in socially inappropriate ways, being unable to differentiate between different contexts, while they might also find it difficult to make friends. Moreover, it is likely that they are fond of routines, repetition and structure (Carnahan, Musti-Rao, & Bailey, 2009), as they might be nervous with unknown, new situations. In addition, some of them might not do eye contact with other people, whereas some others might not endure to be touched and might have a difficulty developing speech (Jordan, 2005). Individuals on the Autism Spectrum might sometimes be prohibited to initiate conversations and might struggle with finding different ways to play and behave, due to the possible deficit of imagination, which in some cases might result in them having a narrow sphere of interests. Nevertheless, it should be noted that this group of people is rather heterogeneous, as characteristics of autism may differ from one individual to another (Gwynette, 2013). Another point is that people with Autism

Autism is a rare disease that can be characterized by a “neurodevelopmental disorder categorized by the inability to relate to and perceive the environment in the realistic manner.” (Anthes, 1997) The signs of autism are mainly found in infants to young children usually between the ages of newborn to two years. The main symptoms that are discussed are “impairment in social interaction fixation of inanimate objects, inability to communicate normally, and resistance to changes in their daily routine.” (Anthes, 1997) Autism is a very understood disease but one thing most people do not know is that autism not only effects a child’s life mentally and physically, it also effects their social ability to have friends, play normally and even grow up

Autism spectrum disorders are a class of developmental disorders that impair social skills, behavior, and communication (Center for Disease Control). ASDs are considered ‘spectrum’ disorders because each patient has a unique experience in the nature and severity of their symptoms (Center for Disease Control). Under the umbrella of ASDs, there are three types of disorders, including Autistic disorder, Asperger Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (Center for Disease Control). Autistic disorder is the most severe of the three, and patients exhibit significant problems with language, communication, and behavior (Center for Disease Control). Furthermore, people with Autistic disorder often have some intellectual impairment (Center for Disease Control). Asperger Syndrome is a milder form of autistic disorder where patients have some developmental delays, but their language and intellect are not affected (Center for Disease Control). The mildest of the ASDs is the pervasive developmental disorder. These patients usually don’t meet all of the criteria for autistic disorder, but do show some signs of social and communication problems (Center for Disease Control). The number of children diagnosed with ASD is growing, and currently 1 in 88 children fall somewhere on the spectrum (Mari-Bauset et al., 2013). Boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism, and while the exact cause of these disorders is unknown, both genetic and

Many of us have heard about Autism, also knows as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Some have a family member, a friend, or know someone who has ASD. Increasingly it is becoming a more common disability. “Autism is one of the fastest-growing developmental disorders in the U.S” (Autism Speaks). Autism has no respect for gender, race, social class and or ethnicity. “Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder that involves abnormal development and function of the brain.” (Autism Center of Excellence) People who have autism have a lot of difficulties with social skills, communication and also will develop behavior issues. These behavior problems of an individual with autism can vary at times and can go from mild to severe. According to the Autism Science Foundation it says,” Many people with the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) also have unusual ways of learning, paying attention, and reacting to different sensations. The thinking and learning abilities of people with ASD can vary—from gifted to severely challenged.” The causes and symptoms, as well as the diagnosis, and the treatments of autism vary.

Theory of mind refers to the ability to make full mental states (beliefs, desires, intentions, imagination, emotions, etc.) that trigger action. Child with autism has difficulty to understand others thoughts which consider, according to the theory of mind, as the core cognitive deficit in autism.

Autism is a mental condition, which becomes apparent in the early stages of childhood. Autism is often characterized by the difficulty in connecting and establishing relationships with other people and in the use of language and intangible ideas. Autism is fast becoming a very familiar disorder. Many people across the nation have been trying endlessly to find a treatment for it. There have been limitless establishments which have been continuously trying diverse ideas and ways to bring funding for further research for Autism as well as bringing more awareness towards it. To become more familiar with Autism one should first understand what symptoms can be linked with autism. Some of those symptoms more common to Autism is difficulty with social interactions and relationships, verbal and nonverbal communication skills, and limited interests in activities or play. Although most of these symptoms can seem similar, Autism is continuously changing through the different stages of life; the childhood years, teen years, and adulthood.

Though many of us may not realize it, humans have a remarkable set of abilities that allows us to understand, empathize with, and predict others’ thoughts and feelings. In other words, the average person is able to “put himself in another’s shoes.” In our daily lives we tend to take this skill for granted. It is only when something goes wrong that we realize how important it actually is. For autistic individuals, this mindreading deficit is all too real. In fact, an inability to engage in this type of understanding of other’s mental states is often taken as the hallmark sign of autism.

According to research a difficulty developing Theory of Mind is central to the social deficits associated with autism (Sivaratnam, Cornish, Gray, Howlin, and Rinehart 2012). Theory of Mind is the ability to infer, understand and predict the beliefs, intentions, emotions of oneself and others. In typically developing children the understanding of intention as an “internal goal-oriented internal state is evident around 4-5 years of age (Sivaratnam, Cornish, Gray, Howlin, and Rinehart 2012). It is often the more subtle aspects of Theory of Mind, such as the ability to recognize complex emotions and facial expressions, and the interpretation of social-emotional cues in naturalistic settings, are where cognitively more able groups of individuals with ASD struggle (Sivaratnam, Cornish, Gray, Howlin, and Rinehart 2012). Those children with ASD that are of low IQ are most likely to struggle with Theory of Mind because they are not fully able to utilize cognitive reasoning to compensate for their social deficits (Sivaratnam, Cornish, Gray, Howlin,

I believe many of us would assume that everyone thinks in the same way as ourselves. We think in words and ideas. We are “verbal thinkers.” However, do you ever thought about people who might think differently than you? Not everyone is a verbal thinker or a conventional thinker. If you don’t have autism, you may have thought those who do are different or maybe even “strange.” In her speech, The world needs all kinds of minds; Temple Grandin, a woman with autism, discusses how people with autism think differently than others. She says that she “thinks in pictures” and that many others with autism also think this way. She also explain how it differs from the conventional sense of thinking. She gives personal experiences throughout her speech. She is able to tell of how she overcame some of the cons that is sometimes associated with autism. Grandin’s main argument is that individuals with autism should be encouraged to branch out and should not be confined where they don’t feel comfortable. They should not be forced to act the same as others but to be who they are. She advocates that they are individuals and they should be treated as such.

In “ A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, Daniel Pink explained that we are moving from an Information Age built on the sequential, logical, analytical skills of the “knowledge worker” towards the Conceptual Age, where creators and empathizers will lead society.

There are two major cognitive theories as to the cause of Autism, the mind blindness theory and empathizing-systemizing theory. The mind blindness theory states that their are defects in the normal process of empathizing, respective to mental age. This means that although the child may biologically be a certain age, their mental age is much younger. The term ‘empathizing’ involves two major elements-(a) the ability to attribute mental states to oneself and others, as a natural way to make sense of other people; and (b) having an emotional reaction that is appropriate to the other person’s mental state(Baron-Cohen). An example of this is when young children are playing with one another, a child with autism may not be able to understand when the other child is upset. The majority in more than thirty tests have revealed immense impairments in the empathizing ability in autistic people. Systemizing is the ability to analyze and build systems, in order to understand and predict the behavior of events that does not involve outside help(Baron-Cohen). The empathizing-systemizing theory states that autistic people have deficits in the ability to empathize, however the ability to systemize is intact or superior to those who do not have autism. This helps explain why many people with autism have a strong ability in music, math, or

Parents, friends, and schools should stop preventing kids from thinking for themselves. Instead we should be teaching them to be inquisitive and question everything. Don't drive children to believe in one conclusion but encourage them to think and find their own path.

Autism is a mental condition, present from early childhood, characterized by difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people and in using language and abstract concepts (“Autism” Def). It’s a disability that affects a person’s communication skills and/or changes in behavior. Autism is usually diagnosed before three years of age and has a lifelong persistence. The causes of this disorder is unclear and there is currently no cure for it. There are two core characteristics of autism. The first being a deficiency in social communication and social interaction. The second is a restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviors, interests, and activities. Clinical features of autism include walking on tiptoes, lack of eye contact, extreme dislike of certain foods or sounds, poor communication skills, repetitive behaviors, and

Social imagination allows us to understand and predict other people’s behaviour. It also helps us to make sense of abstract ideas, and to imagine situations outside our immediate daily routine. This impairment of imagination is also known as `inflexibility of thought` and can affect people with autism in different ways. This can make it difficult to:

Three theories of Autism Spectrum Disorder are the theory of the mind and the extreme male brain theory and the empathising-systemising theory. According to an article, “Mnesic Imbalance: A Cognitive Theory About Autism Spectrum Disorders”, states that the theory of the mind was developed by Leo Kanner in 1943. Simon said that the theory of the mind explains the social impairment of autism. The theory states that autistics children tend to have a challenging time with understanding emotions and attitudes of others. Autistic children also have difficulty believing other people have their own desires. The theory of the mind is used in developmental psychology today. This may explain why autistic children, especially recognized by two years of age act. Children desire sameness and have difficulty with change. Children also exhibit excellent memory by resisting sentences from long times ago and remember things very well. Learning by a sequence that is consistent is more rewarding due to consistency and not change. Autistic children like to show their abilities rather