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Autism, hypersystemizing, and truth.

Simon Baron-Cohen¹

¹Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology (2006)

|November 27, 2007

Summary

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Autistic individuals show reduced empathizing but heightened systemizing abilities. The hypersystemizing theory suggests this strong drive to systemize explains autistic traits and a pursuit of truth through pattern discovery.

Area of Science:

Psychology
Neuroscience
Autism Research

Background:

Empathizing and systemizing exhibit significant sex differences in the general population.
Autism spectrum conditions (ASC) are characterized by empathizing difficulties and hypersystemizing.

Purpose of the Study:

To review evidence supporting the hypersystemizing theory of autism spectrum conditions.
To explore how hypersystemizing explains core autistic traits and behaviors.

Main Methods:

Literature review of studies on sex differences in empathy and systemizing.
Analysis of evidence linking systemizing to autistic traits.
Examination of the hypersystemizing theory of ASC.

Main Results:

Related Experiment Videos

Individuals with ASC demonstrate hypersystemizing, a strong drive to systemize.
Hypersystemizing explains preferences for predictable systems and "need for sameness" in ASC.
This drive may lead individuals with ASC to seek "truth" as defined by lawful patterns.

Conclusions:

The hypersystemizing theory provides a framework for understanding autism spectrum conditions.
Hypersystemizing is a key cognitive style in ASC, influencing behavior and perception.
This theory reframes autistic traits as a strong drive for uncovering underlying patterns and truths.