Not So Automatic Imitation: Expectation of Incongruence Reduces Interference in Both Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typical Development

Overview

Journal J Autism Dev Disord

Publisher Springer

Date 2020 Jan 6

PMID 31902056

Citations 4

Authors

Andrew Gordon

Raphael Geddert

Jeremy Hogeveen

Marie K Krug

Sukhvinder Obhi

Marjorie Solomon

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Research has observed evidence for both hypo-(supposedly due to a broken mirror neuron system) and hyper-(thought to be the result of deficits in adaptive control) imitation in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This work sought to adjudicate between these findings using an automatic imitation (AI) paradigm with the novel manipulation of the need to engage adaptive control of imitation. Results demonstrated that ASD participants do not display a specific deficit in AI capability, are able to engage in proactive control of AI, and that relative to a well-matched effector condition, AI is not selectively associated with ASD symptom severity. These data cast doubt upon the notion of impairments in imitation or its control in ASD.

Citing Articles

Reaction Time "Mismatch Costs" Change with the Likelihood of Stimulus-Response Compatibility.

Campbell M, Sherwell C, Cunnington R, Brown S, Breakspear M Psychon Bull Rev. 2022; 30(1):184-199.

PMID: 36008626 PMC: 9971163. DOI: 10.3758/s13423-022-02161-6.

What Happened to Mirror Neurons?.

Heyes C, Catmur C Perspect Psychol Sci. 2021; 17(1):153-168.

PMID: 34241539 PMC: 8785302. DOI: 10.1177/1745691621990638.

Components of Executive Control in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Examination of Dual-Mechanism Accounts.

Gordon A, Krug M, Wulff R, Elliott M, Hogeveen J, Lesh T Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging. 2021; 6(8):792-801.

PMID: 33558195 PMC: 8149484. DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2020.11.008.

Imitation or Polarity Correspondence? Behavioural and Neurophysiological Evidence for the Confounding Influence of Orthogonal Spatial Compatibility on Measures of Automatic Imitation.

Czekoova K, Shaw D, Lamos M, Spilakova B, Salazar M, Brazdil M Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci. 2021; 21(1):212-230.

PMID: 33432546 PMC: 7994238. DOI: 10.3758/s13415-020-00860-y.

References

Lakin J, Chartrand T . Using nonconscious behavioral mimicry to create affiliation and rapport. Psychol Sci. 2003; 14(4):334-9. DOI: 10.1111/1467-9280.14481. View

Lord C, Risi S, Lambrecht L, Cook Jr E, Leventhal B, DiLavore P . The autism diagnostic observation schedule-generic: a standard measure of social and communication deficits associated with the spectrum of autism. J Autism Dev Disord. 2000; 30(3):205-23. View

Craighero L, Bello A, Fadiga L, Rizzolatti G . Hand action preparation influences the responses to hand pictures. Neuropsychologia. 2001; 40(5):492-502. DOI: 10.1016/s0028-3932(01)00134-8. View

Wilkins J, Matson J . A comparison of social skills profiles in intellectually disabled adults with and without ASD. Behav Modif. 2008; 33(2):143-55. DOI: 10.1177/0145445508321880. View

Cross K, Iacoboni M . Optimized neural coding? Control mechanisms in large cortical networks implemented by connectivity changes. Hum Brain Mapp. 2011; 34(1):213-25. PMC: 3389591. DOI: 10.1002/hbm.21428. View

Cook J, Bird G . Atypical social modulation of imitation in autism spectrum conditions. J Autism Dev Disord. 2011; 42(6):1045-51. PMC: 3360861. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-011-1341-7. View

Cho Y, Proctor R . Influences of multiple spatial stimulus and response codes on orthogonal stimulus-response compatibility. Percept Psychophys. 2005; 66(6):1003-17. DOI: 10.3758/bf03194991. View

Krause F, Lindemann O . Expyriment: a Python library for cognitive and neuroscientific experiments. Behav Res Methods. 2013; 46(2):416-28. DOI: 10.3758/s13428-013-0390-6. View

Heyes C . Automatic imitation. Psychol Bull. 2011; 137(3):463-83. DOI: 10.1037/a0022288. View

10.

Wagenmakers E, van der Maas H, Grasman R . An EZ-diffusion model for response time and accuracy. Psychon Bull Rev. 2007; 14(1):3-22. DOI: 10.3758/bf03194023. View

11.

di Pellegrino G, Fadiga L, Fogassi L, Gallese V, Rizzolatti G . Understanding motor events: a neurophysiological study. Exp Brain Res. 1992; 91(1):176-80. DOI: 10.1007/BF00230027. View

12.

Schulte-Ruther M, Otte E, Adiguzel K, Firk C, Herpertz-Dahlmann B, Koch I . Intact mirror mechanisms for automatic facial emotions in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res. 2016; 10(2):298-310. DOI: 10.1002/aur.1654. View

13.

Brenner E, Smeets J . How Can You Best Measure Reaction Times?. J Mot Behav. 2018; 51(5):486-495. DOI: 10.1080/00222895.2018.1518311. View

14.

Moors A, De Houwer J . Automaticity: a theoretical and conceptual analysis. Psychol Bull. 2006; 132(2):297-326. DOI: 10.1037/0033-2909.132.2.297. View

15.

Catmur C, Walsh V, Heyes C . Sensorimotor learning configures the human mirror system. Curr Biol. 2007; 17(17):1527-31. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2007.08.006. View

16.

Bird G, Leighton J, Press C, Heyes C . Intact automatic imitation of human and robot actions in autism spectrum disorders. Proc Biol Sci. 2007; 274(1628):3027-31. PMC: 2291158. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2007.1019. View

17.

Smeekens I, Didden R, Verhoeven E . Exploring the relationship of autonomic and endocrine activity with social functioning in adults with autism spectrum disorders. J Autism Dev Disord. 2013; 45(2):495-505. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-013-1947-z. View

18.

Bugg J, Crump M . In Support of a Distinction between Voluntary and Stimulus-Driven Control: A Review of the Literature on Proportion Congruent Effects. Front Psychol. 2012; 3:367. PMC: 3459019. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00367. View

19.

Gantman A, Kapp S, Orenski K, Laugeson E . Social skills training for young adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders: a randomized controlled pilot study. J Autism Dev Disord. 2011; 42(6):1094-103. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-011-1350-6. View

20.

Southgate V, F de C Hamilton A . Unbroken mirrors: challenging a theory of Autism. Trends Cogn Sci. 2008; 12(6):225-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2008.03.005. View