The relationship between moral judgment and cooperation in children with high-functioning autism

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Social Cognition

Background:

• Understanding moral judgment in children with high-functioning autism (HFA) is crucial for social development.
• Previous research suggests differences in social cognition and decision-making in HFA individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate moral judgment and cooperation in children with HFA compared to typically developing (TD) children.
• To examine how the morality of an interaction partner influences cooperation in a repeated prisoner's dilemma game.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 38 HFA children (6-12 years) and 31 TD children.
• Assessed moral judgment by having children evaluate story protagonists.
• Observed cooperation in a repeated prisoner's dilemma game with morally "nice" and "naughty" partners.

Main Results:

• Both HFA and TD children made accurate moral judgments.
• HFA children exhibited potentially more rigid criteria for identifying morally questionable acts.
• HFA children's cooperation levels were unaffected by the partner's morality.
• TD children demonstrated increased cooperation with morally "nice" partners compared to "naughty" partners.

Conclusions:

• While moral judgment is intact, HFA children's cooperative behavior is less influenced by the partner's perceived morality.
• This suggests distinct social decision-making processes in HFA children during interactive tasks.