Investigating facial expression production and inner outer face recognition in children with autism and typically developing children.

Abstract

Behavioural and neuroimaging evidence suggests that autism is characterised, in part, by deficits in social intelligence. Impairments in face and eye gaze processing and facial expression recognition are often used to explain this deficit. Although the general consensus is that children with autism are impaired in face and facial expression processing the actual seat of impairment is unknown. Furthermore, face recognition using only inner face information and facial expression production without any visual cues has never been investigated in children with autism. Research on the development of face recognition abilities provided mixed results with regard to how children identify unfamiliar faces both in typical and atypical populations. Recognising an unfamiliar face from only inner face has not been investigated during development or in children with autism. This thesis investigated unfamiliar face recognition from inner face only information firstly, during developmental period of 5-10 years of age; and secondly, with children with autism and individually matched controls. 5-l0-year-olds were exceptionally good at face recognition from only inner face information. Children with autism were as good as the matched controls in recognising unfamiliar faces from only inner face information. These findings are discussed with reference to holistic face processing ability and perceptual sameness of the stimuli. Research on the development of facial expression recognition indicates a differential pathway for different expressions both in typical and atypical populations. This thesis investigated facial expression production ability with and without context in children with autism and individually matched controls. Children with autism were atypical in fear facial expression production and failed to use context to enhance performance. These findings are discussed with reference to social intelligence and the role of experience in early childhood in development of face expertise