Mimetic desire in autism spectrum disorder.
Baudouin Forgeot d'Arc, Fabien Vinckier, Maël Lebreton and 3 others
PMID 27826407WHAT IT FOUND
Social influence on preference did not differ between adults with autism and controls.
Both groups rated objects as more desirable when they appeared to be someone's goal. The effect did not relate to reduced pleasure, depression, or social judgment.
Key findings
01Mimetic desire was present in both the ASD and control groups.
02There was no difference in mimetic desire between the ASD and control groups.
03Mimetic desire was not related to depression, social anhedonia, physical anhedonia, or social judgment.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample was small: 20 adults with ASD and 19 controls. The participants were almost entirely male adults, so the result may not generalize to women, children, or older adults. The study tested a laboratory rating task, not everyday social communication, therapy participation, or occupation. The authors did not investigate the processes behind mimetic desire, such as eye movements or brain activity. Correlation p values were not corrected for multiple testing. Recognition data were missing for one participant because of a testing error.
Declared interests
No author conflicts-of-interest or funding declaration is given in the supplied text. The publication types list the article as supported by a non-U.S. government research source.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that social influence is intact across all situations in autism. This study tested only mimetic desire in a rating task with 20 adults with ASD and 19 controls, and the sample was almost entirely male adults. The null result applies to that measure, not to social communication, strategic conformity, or therapy outcomes.