Autism spectrum conditions affect preferences in valued personal possessions

TY - JOUR

T1 - Autism spectrum conditions affect preferences in valued personal possessions

AU - Spikins, Penny

AU - Wright, Barry John Debenham

AU - Scott, Callum

PY - 2018/4

Y1 - 2018/4

N2 - Although autism has been characterised as a disorder certain selective advantages of autism have been identified which may represent a selective trade-off for reduced ‘folk psychology’ and provide a potential explanation for the incorporation of autism genes in the human evolutionary past. Such potential trade-off skills remain to be explored in terms of selectively advantageous or disadvantageous behaviours in the distant past however. Here we present the results of an analysis of the relationship between AQ (autism quotient) and attitudes to valued personal possessions on the basis of a study of 550 participants. We find that individuals with autism have a reduced tendency to value and preserve objects as reminders of relationships/attachment figures and place a greater value on the direct practical function of their personal possessions. The latter strategy may have been more selectively advantageous in certain contexts whilst less advantageous in others in the distant evolutionary past.

AB - Although autism has been characterised as a disorder certain selective advantages of autism have been identified which may represent a selective trade-off for reduced ‘folk psychology’ and provide a potential explanation for the incorporation of autism genes in the human evolutionary past. Such potential trade-off skills remain to be explored in terms of selectively advantageous or disadvantageous behaviours in the distant past however. Here we present the results of an analysis of the relationship between AQ (autism quotient) and attitudes to valued personal possessions on the basis of a study of 550 participants. We find that individuals with autism have a reduced tendency to value and preserve objects as reminders of relationships/attachment figures and place a greater value on the direct practical function of their personal possessions. The latter strategy may have been more selectively advantageous in certain contexts whilst less advantageous in others in the distant evolutionary past.

KW - autism

KW - material culture

KW - personal possessions

KW - selective trade-offs

KW - autism spectrum condition

KW - Autism

KW - Autism spectrum condition

KW - Personal possessions

KW - Material culture

KW - Selective trade-offs

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85028348450&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1037/ebs0000105

DO - 10.1037/ebs0000105

M3 - Article

VL - 12

SP - 99

EP - 112

JO - Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences

JF - Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences

SN - 2330-2925

IS - 2

ER -