Skip to main content
Log in

Recognition of Faux Pas by Normally Developing Children and Children with Asperger Syndrome or High-Functioning Autism

  • Published:
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Most theory of mind (ToM) tests are designed for subjects with a mental age of 4–6 years. There are very few ToM tests for subjects who are older or more able than this. We report a new test of ToM, designed for children 7–11 years old. The task involves recognizing faux pas. Study 1 tested 7–9, and 11-year-old normal children. Results showed that the ability to detect faux pas developed with age and that there was a differential developmental profile between the two sexes (female superiority). Study 2 tested children with Asperger syndrome (AS) or high-functioning autism (HFA), selected for being able to pass traditional 4- to 6-year level (first- and second-order) false belief tests. Results showed that whereas normal 9- to 11-year-old children were skilled at detecting faux pas, children with AS or HFA were impaired on this task. Study 3 reports a refinement in the test, employing control stimuli. This replicated the results from Study 2. Some patients with AS or HFA were able to recognize faux pas but still produced them. Future research should assess faux pas production.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed). Washington, DC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baron-Cohen, S. (1989a). The autistic child's theory of mind: A case of specific developmental delay. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 30, 285–298.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baron-Cohen, S. (1989b). Thinking about thinking: how does it develop? Critical Notice. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 30, 931–933.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baron-Cohen, S. (1995). Mindblindness. Boston: MIT Press/Bradford Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baron-Cohen, S., & Hammer, J, (1997). Is autism an extreme form of the male brain? Advances in Infancy Research, 11, 193–217.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baron-Cohen, S., Jolliffe, T., Mortimore, C., & Robertson, M. (1997). Another advanced test of theory of mind: Evidence from very high functioning adults with autism or Asperger Syndrome. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 38, 813–822.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baron-Cohen, S., Leslie, A. M., & Frith, U. (1985). Does the autistic child have a ‘theory of mind’? Cognition, 21, 37–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baron-Cohen, S., Wheelwright, S., & Jolliffe, T. (1997). Is there a “language of the eyes”? Evidence from normal adults and adults with autism or Asperger syndrome. Visual Cognition, 4, 311–331.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowler, D. M. (1992). Theory of mind in Asperger syndrome. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 33, 877–895.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dahlgren, S., & Trillingsgaard, A. (1996). Theory of mind in non-retarded children with autism and AS. A research note. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 37, 759–763.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunn, L. M., Dunn, L. M., Whetton, C., & Pintilie, D. (1982). British Picture Vocabulary Test. London: NFER-Nelson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eibl-Eibesfeldt, J. (1989). Human ethology. Athene de Gruyter.

  • Frith, U. (1989). Autism: explaining the enigma. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodenough, E. (1957). Interest in persons as an aspect of sex difference in the early years. Genetic Psychology Monographs. 55, 287–323.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halpern, D. (1992). Sex differences in cognitive ability. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Happé, F. (1994). An advanced test of theory of mind: Understanding of story characters' thoughts and feelings by able autistic, mentally handicapped, and normal children and adults. Journal of Autism and Development Disorders, 24, 129–154.

    Google Scholar 

  • Happé, F. (1995). The role of age and verbal ability in the theory of mind task performance of subjects with autism. Child Development, 66, 843–855.

    Google Scholar 

  • Happé, F. (1996). Autism. London: UCL Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, C., & Russell, J. (1993). Autistic children's difficulty with mental disengagement from an object: Its implications for theories of autism. Developmental Psychology, 29, 498–510.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, C., Russell, J., & Robbins, T. (1994). Specific planning deficit in autism: Evidence of a central executive dysfunction. Neuropsychologia, 32, 477–492.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jarrold, C., Boucher, J., & Russell, J. (1997). Language profiles in children with autism: theoretical and methodological implications. International Journal of Research and Practice; Autism. 1, 57–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keasey, C. B. (1977). Children's developing awareness and usage of intentionality and motives. Nebraska Symposium on Motivation (pp. 219–260). Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • McEvoy, R. E., Rogers, S. J., & Pennington, B. F. (1993). Executive function and social communication deficits in young autistic children. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 34, 563–578.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGuiness, D., & Pribram, K. H. (1979). The origins of sensory bias in the development of gender differences in perception and cognition. In M. Borner (Ed.), Cognitive growth and development: Essays in memory of Herbert G Birch. New York: Brunner/Mazel.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ozonoff, S. (1995). Executive functions in autism. In E. Schopler & G. Mesibov (Eds.), Learning and cognition in autism, New York: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ozonoff, S., Pennington, B., & Rogers, S. (1991). Executive function deficits in high-functioning autistic children: Relationship to theory of mind. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 32, 1081–1106.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ozonoff, S., Rogers, S., & Pennington, B. (1991). Asperger's syndrome: Evidence of an empirical distinction from high-functioning autism. Journal of Child Psychiatry and Psychology, 32, 1107–1122.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pennington, B., & Ozonoff, S. (1996). Executive functions and developmental psychopathology. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 37, 51–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perner, J., & Wimmer, H. (1985). “John thinks that Mary thinks that...” Attribution of second-order beliefs by 5–10 year old children. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 39, 437–471.

    Google Scholar 

  • Russell, J., Jarrold, C., & Henry, L. (1996). Working memory in children with autism and with moderate learning difficulties. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 37, 673–686.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stone, V., Baron-Cohen, S., & Knight, R. (1998). Frontal lobe contributions to theory of mind. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 10, 640–656.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stone, V., Baron-Cohen, S., Young, A., Calder, A., & Green, J. (1999). Patients with amygdalectomy show impairments on theory of mind. Unpublished manuscript. University of Denver.

  • Sullivan, K., Zaitchik, D., & Tager-Flusberg, H. (1994). Preschoolers can attribute second-order beliefs. Developmental Psychology, 30, 395–402.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wimmer, H., & Perner, J. (1983). Beliefs about beliefs: Representation and constraining function of wrong beliefs in young children's understanding of deception. Cognition, 13, 103–128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wing, L. (1997). The Autistic Spectrum. Oxford: Pergamon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization. (1994). International classification of disease (10th ed.). Geneva, Switzerland: Author.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Baron-Cohen, S., O'Riordan, M., Stone, V. et al. Recognition of Faux Pas by Normally Developing Children and Children with Asperger Syndrome or High-Functioning Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 29, 407–418 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023035012436

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023035012436

Navigation