ERIC Number: EJ748114
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006-Oct
Pages: 9
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0162-3257
EISSN: N/A
Sex and Discipline Differences in Empathising, Systemising and Autistic Symptomatology: Evidence from a Student Population
Carroll, Julia M.; Chiew, Kin Yung
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, v36 n7 p949-957 Oct 2006
Baron-Cohen's [(2002) "Trends in Cognitive Sciences," 6, 248-255] "extreme male brain" theory of autism is investigated by examining the relationships between theory of mind, central coherence, empathising, systemising and autistic-like symptomatology in typical undergraduates. There were sex differences in the expected directions on all tasks. Differences according to discipline were found only in central coherence. There was no evidence of an association between empathising and systemising. In the second study, performance on the Mechanical Reasoning task was compared with Systemising quotient and the Social Skills Inventory was compared with the Empathising Quotient. Moderate, but not high correlations were found. Findings are broadly consistent with the distinction between empathising and systemising but cast some doubt on the tasks used to measure these abilities.
Descriptors: Gender Differences, Empathy, Autism, Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Theories, Undergraduate Students, Comparative Analysis, Correlation, Cognitive Ability, Interpersonal Competence
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A