Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Autism spectrum conditions affect preferences in valued personal possessions. / Spikins, Penny; Wright, Barry John Debenham; Scott, Callum.
In: Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences, Vol. 12, No. 2, 04.2018, p. 99-112.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
}
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 -