Baron-Cohen et al. (Eyes Test)

Overview

• Study by Baron-Cohen, S., Wheelwright, S., Hill, J., Raste, Y., & Plumb, I. (2001)
• Focused on Theory of Mind and Social Sensitivity in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Tested using the Revised Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test

Key Terms

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Neurodevelopmental disorder affecting social/communication skills
• High-Functioning Autism (HFA): Milder form of autism allowing better societal functioning
• Asperger's Syndrome (AS): Autism spectrum disorder affecting social skills with repetitive behaviors
• Theory of Mind: Ability to understand different mental states of others
• Social Sensitivity: Ability to interpret nonverbal cues from eyes

Tests Used

• Revised Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test: 36 eye-region photos, choose best word from four
• Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ): Self-report, 50 statements to measure autistic traits

Background

• Original test in 1997 had two options and more female faces
• Revised in 2001 for better reliability; four options, balanced gender faces, complex mental states

Aims

• Test effectiveness of revised eyes test on autistic adults
• Compare scores between genders in non-autistic population
• Investigate correlation between Eyes Test and AQ scores

Methodology

Sample

• Group 1: 15 males with AS/HFA, mean IQ 115
• Group 2: 122 general population adults, mean age 46.5
• Group 3: 103 Cambridge undergraduates, mean age 20.8
• Group 4: 14 IQ-matched controls, mean IQ 116

Design

• Quasi-experimental with independent groups and matched pairs
• IV: Type of participant (AS/HFA or neurotypical)
• DV: Scores on Revised Eye Test and AQ

Procedure

1. Development of Eyes Test: Target words and foils piloted on judges
2. Administration: Individual tests, glossary provided, practice test included
3. Revised Eye Test: 36 sets of eyes, choose correct emotion word
4. AQ Test: Completed by Groups 1, 3, and 4

Results

• AS/HFA vs General Population: AS/HFA group scored significantly lower
• Correlation between Eyes and AQ Test: Significant negative correlation (-0.53)
• Gender Differences: Non-autistic females scored higher than males

Conclusions

• Revised Eyes Test differentiates AS/HFA from neurotypicals
• Inverse correlation between Eyes Test and AQ supports impaired theory of mind in autism

Strengths

1. Improved Validity: More response options, complex mental states, glossary included
2. Controlled Experiment: Quasi-experimental design with IQ-matched group

Weaknesses

1. Low Ecological Validity: Static images do not reflect dynamic real-world cues
2. Limited Generalizability: Small, male-only autistic sample, UK-based
3. Limited Data: Reliance on quantitative data, lacks qualitative insight
4. Potential for Guessing: 1 in 4 chance of guessing correct answers

Ethics

• Potential psychological distress for AS/HFA participants
• Non-completion of AQ test may indicate distress

Issues and Debates

• Diagnostic Tool: Can help identify social cognition difficulties
• Individual vs Situational Explanations: Emphasizes individual traits over situational factors
• Reductionism vs Holism: Focuses narrowly on eyes for emotion recognition

Study Questions

• Recall sampling techniques, number of participants, and test details
• Evaluate validity, generalizations, and real-world applications
• Discuss methodological and ethical strengths and weaknesses