Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Autism Spectrum Disorder01:19

Autism Spectrum Disorder

1.5K
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by persistent deficits in social communication and interaction alongside restrictive and repetitive behaviors or interests. ASD is sometimes accompanied by intellectual impairment.
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.
1.5K
Language Development01:22

Language Development

1.0K
Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
1.0K
Language and Cognition01:27

Language and Cognition

909
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
909
Modeling in Therapy01:26

Modeling in Therapy

628
Modeling, a key technique in therapy, uses observational learning to help clients acquire and practice new skills by watching therapists demonstrate desired behaviors. This approach, rooted in Albert Bandura's concept of vicarious learning, plays a significant role in therapeutic interventions for various psychological conditions, including social anxiety, ADHD, and depression.
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in...
628
Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language01:10

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language

4.0K
Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
4.0K
Language01:16

Language

973
Language is a unique communication system that uses words and systematic rules to organize and transmit information. Unlike other forms of communication, which may involve postures, movements, odors, or vocalizations, language relies on symbols and grammar. This makes human communication distinct from that of other species, who also communicate but do not use language in the same way humans do.
Corballis and Suddendorf (2007) and Tomasello and Rakoczy (2003) highlight the role of language in...
973

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

An inclusive developmental science requires attention to neurodiversity.

The Behavioral and brain sciences·2026
Same author

Investigating the analytical robustness of the social and behavioural sciences.

Nature·2026
Same author

The myth that slow test-takers are worse students: Implications for time-limited testing.

Medical education·2026
Same author

Challenging the Assumption That Autistic People Lack a Theory of Mind.

Biological psychiatry. Cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging·2025
Same author

A guide for social science journal editors on easing into open science.

Research integrity and peer review·2024
Same author

Anti-ableism and scientific accuracy in autism research: a false dichotomy.

Frontiers in psychiatry·2023
Same journal

From Contact to Conversation: Protactile Language, Modality, and Community.

Annual review of linguistics·2026
Same journal

Charting the Course of Aphasia Recovery: Factors, Trajectories, and Outcomes.

Annual review of linguistics·2026
Same journal

The Role of Health Care Communication in Treatment Outcomes.

Annual review of linguistics·2024
Same journal

Learning Through Processing: Toward an Integrated Approach to Early Word Learning.

Annual review of linguistics·2022
Same journal

Acquisition of Sign Languages.

Annual review of linguistics·2021
Same journal

Cross-modal effects in speech perception.

Annual review of linguistics·2021
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 8, 2026

Using the Visual World Paradigm to Study Sentence Comprehension in Mandarin-Speaking Children with Autism
06:15

Using the Visual World Paradigm to Study Sentence Comprehension in Mandarin-Speaking Children with Autism

Published on: October 3, 2018

8.3K

Language and Speech in Autism.

Morton Ann Gernsbacher1, Emily M Morson2, Elizabeth J Grace3

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706.

Annual Review of Linguistics
|January 28, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Communication patterns like pronoun reversal, echolalia, and production-comprehension lag are not unique to autism. These language behaviors do not serve as diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder.

Keywords:
autismbehaviorismecholaliaexpressive languagelanguage comprehensionlanguage developmentlanguage productionpronoun reversalpsychoanalysisreceptive language

More Related Videos

Portable Intermodal Preferential Looking IPL: Investigating Language Comprehension in Typically Developing Toddlers and Young Children with Autism
10:11

Portable Intermodal Preferential Looking IPL: Investigating Language Comprehension in Typically Developing Toddlers and Young Children with Autism

Published on: December 14, 2012

19.1K
Testing Sensory and Multisensory Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
09:13

Testing Sensory and Multisensory Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Published on: April 22, 2015

17.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 8, 2026

Using the Visual World Paradigm to Study Sentence Comprehension in Mandarin-Speaking Children with Autism
06:15

Using the Visual World Paradigm to Study Sentence Comprehension in Mandarin-Speaking Children with Autism

Published on: October 3, 2018

8.3K
Portable Intermodal Preferential Looking IPL: Investigating Language Comprehension in Typically Developing Toddlers and Young Children with Autism
10:11

Portable Intermodal Preferential Looking IPL: Investigating Language Comprehension in Typically Developing Toddlers and Young Children with Autism

Published on: December 14, 2012

19.1K
Testing Sensory and Multisensory Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
09:13

Testing Sensory and Multisensory Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Published on: April 22, 2015

17.2K

Area of Science:

  • Linguistics
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background:

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability impacting social interaction, interests, and communication.
  • Specific communication patterns, including pronoun reversal, echolalia, and altered production-comprehension lag, have been historically associated with autism.
  • These phenomena have been proposed as unique markers for diagnosing autism and have led to autism-specific interpretations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically examine the empirical evidence supporting the uniqueness of three communication phenomena in autism: pronoun reversal, echolalia, and production-comprehension lag.
  • To evaluate the diagnostic validity of these communication patterns for autism spectrum disorder.
  • To challenge autism-centric interpretations and assumptions regarding language development in autistic individuals.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic literature review of empirical studies on pronoun reversal, echolalia, and production-comprehension lag.
  • Analysis of the prevalence and characteristics of these phenomena across different populations, including those with and without autism.
  • Critical evaluation of existing theoretical interpretations of these communication patterns in the context of autism.

Main Results:

  • None of the examined communication phenomena (pronoun reversal, echolalia, production-comprehension lag) are exclusive to autism spectrum disorder.
  • Evidence indicates these language behaviors occur in various developmental and neurological conditions, questioning their diagnostic specificity for autism.
  • Autism-centric interpretations of these phenomena are often based on flawed assumptions and lack empirical support.

Conclusions:

  • Pronoun reversal, echolalia, and production-comprehension lag are not unique to autism and should not be used as diagnostic criteria.
  • The presence of these communication patterns does not confirm an autism diagnosis.
  • Revisiting assumptions about autistic language development is necessary, moving beyond autism-specific explanations for these widespread linguistic phenomena.