Autistic people are less surprised by the unexpected, study shows
Researchers believe sufferers may overestimate the volatility of the world around them.
Autistic people may be less surprised by the unexpected than others, a study has found.
Researchers from University College London (UCL) say sufferers may overestimate the volatility of the world around them.
The study found adults with autism were less surprised by unexpected images in a simple learning task than adults without autism, while the least surprised had the most pronounced symptoms.
Its lead author Dr Rebecca Lawson said: “We know from previous studies that people with autism often aren’t surprised by things that would surprise other people.
“Our expectations bias our behaviour in subtle ways, so being less susceptible to these effects may result in strengths as well as difficulties.”
In the study, 24 adults with autism and 25 adults without autism completed a task involving learning to expect different pictures on a computer screen after hearing either a high or low sound.
Professor Geraint Rees said: “The idea that differences in how people with autism build visual expectations may link to social difficulties is an intriguing possibility, and one that we would like to pursue further in consultation with members of the autism community.”
The study is published in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
