They tend not to look at their faces, are fixated on a certain action, react more quickly to many stimuli and have difficulty interacting socially. These are people with autism.
Scientists conduct various tests to determine the causes of the disorder and to treat it effectively. But this time, the study is designed to help everyone see the world as it appears to people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD/ASD).
Thirty-nine people took part in one study on autism. Half of them were formally diagnosed with autism, while the other half were “neurotypical. All subjects were shown 700 different images, and gaze direction sensors recorded the areas to which participants in both groups were paying attention.
“Among other findings, our work indicates that it’s not that simple. People with autism spectrum disorders not only don’t look at faces. They look at most things in their own way,” the study’s co-author, a neuroscientist at the California Institute of Technology, said in a press release.
According to the study, people with autism tend to focus on the center of the image. Even when there are other objects in the frame.
Autistic people withdraw their gaze to the edge of the frame to avoid looking at faces.
Autistic people tend not to look at people in pictures, unlike neurotypicals.
In the United States, about one child in 68 has autism. The rate may have increased because of new diagnostic criteria and because of a dramatic increase in awareness. Doctors have taken a step forward in diagnosing children with the disorder, but it’s still no easy task.
Researchers are looking for ways to diagnose autism as early as possible. Tracking the direction of the gaze may help.
Researchers found that children with autism prefer to look at scrambled faces rather than regular photos of faces.
Infants with autism prefer to listen to computer-generated sounds rather than words.
The earlier doctors and parents can identify a child with autism, the sooner they can provide the support needed to lead a more fulfilling life.
