TY - JOUR
T1 - The obscure object of desire
T2 - 'Nearly, but clearly not, like me': Contingency preference in normal children versus children with autism
AU - Gergely, G.
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - The author describes the central role of contingency detection in early socioemotional development. It has been proposed (Gergely & Watson, 1999) that infants are innately equipped with a complex perceptual mechanism, the "contingency detection module," which functions to establish the primary representation of the bodily self as well as the later orientation toward reactive social objects. According to the "contingency switch" model, the target value of the module that is initially genetically set to preferentially explore perfectly response-contingent stimulation is "switched" at around 3 months toward a preference for less-than-perfect social contingencies. It is hypothesized that the primary cause of childhood autism is a genetic defect, due to which the normal process of switching contingency preference at around 3 months does not take place. Preliminary results from an experimental study to test this model are reported. The study contrasts the preferential reactions of normal children and children with autism to perfect versus imitative (high-but-imperfect) contingencies. The results provide support for the contingency switch hypothesis of the etiology of childhood autism.
AB - The author describes the central role of contingency detection in early socioemotional development. It has been proposed (Gergely & Watson, 1999) that infants are innately equipped with a complex perceptual mechanism, the "contingency detection module," which functions to establish the primary representation of the bodily self as well as the later orientation toward reactive social objects. According to the "contingency switch" model, the target value of the module that is initially genetically set to preferentially explore perfectly response-contingent stimulation is "switched" at around 3 months toward a preference for less-than-perfect social contingencies. It is hypothesized that the primary cause of childhood autism is a genetic defect, due to which the normal process of switching contingency preference at around 3 months does not take place. Preliminary results from an experimental study to test this model are reported. The study contrasts the preferential reactions of normal children and children with autism to perfect versus imitative (high-but-imperfect) contingencies. The results provide support for the contingency switch hypothesis of the etiology of childhood autism.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0034883803&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1521/bumc.65.3.411.19853
DO - 10.1521/bumc.65.3.411.19853
M3 - Article
C2 - 11531136
AN - SCOPUS:0034883803
SN - 0025-9284
VL - 65
SP - 411
EP - 426
JO - Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic
JF - Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic
IS - 3
ER -