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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Are children with Autism Spectrum Disorder initially attuned to object function rather than shape for word learning?
AU - Field, Charlotte
AU - Allen, Melissa Lynn
AU - Lewis, Charles Neville
N1 - The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2657-5
PY - 2016/4
Y1 - 2016/4
N2 - We investigate the function bias—generalising words to objects with the same function—in typically developing (TD) children, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and children with other developmental disorders. Across four trials, a novel object was named and its function was described and demonstrated. Children then selected the other referent from a shape match (same shape, different function) and function match (same function, different shape) object. TD children and children with ASD were ‘function biased’, although further investigation established that having a higher VMA facilitated function bias understanding in TD children, but having a lower VMA facilitated function bias understanding in children with ASD. This suggests that children with ASD are initially attuned to object function, not shape.
AB - We investigate the function bias—generalising words to objects with the same function—in typically developing (TD) children, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and children with other developmental disorders. Across four trials, a novel object was named and its function was described and demonstrated. Children then selected the other referent from a shape match (same shape, different function) and function match (same function, different shape) object. TD children and children with ASD were ‘function biased’, although further investigation established that having a higher VMA facilitated function bias understanding in TD children, but having a lower VMA facilitated function bias understanding in children with ASD. This suggests that children with ASD are initially attuned to object function, not shape.
KW - Autism spectrum disorder
KW - Developmental disorder
KW - Function bias
KW - Shape bias
KW - Word learning
U2 - 10.1007/s10803-015-2657-5
DO - 10.1007/s10803-015-2657-5
M3 - Journal article
VL - 46
SP - 1210
EP - 1219
JO - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
JF - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
SN - 0162-3257
IS - 4
ER -