Abstract
In the present study, we investigated the ability to assign moral responsibility and punishment in adults with high functioning
autism or Asperger Syndrome (HFA/AS), using non-verbal cartoons depicting an aggression, an accidental harm or a mere coincidence.
Participants were asked to evaluate the agent’s causal and intentional roles, his responsibility and the punishment he deserves
for his action. Adults with HFA/AS did not differ in judgments of suffering and causality from adults with typical development.
However, subtle difficulties with judgments of intentional action and moral judgments were observed in participants with HFA/AS.
These results are discussed in the light of emerging studies that deal with integrity of moral reasoning in individuals with
autism spectrum disorders.
autism or Asperger Syndrome (HFA/AS), using non-verbal cartoons depicting an aggression, an accidental harm or a mere coincidence.
Participants were asked to evaluate the agent’s causal and intentional roles, his responsibility and the punishment he deserves
for his action. Adults with HFA/AS did not differ in judgments of suffering and causality from adults with typical development.
However, subtle difficulties with judgments of intentional action and moral judgments were observed in participants with HFA/AS.
These results are discussed in the light of emerging studies that deal with integrity of moral reasoning in individuals with
autism spectrum disorders.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-13
- DOI 10.1007/s10803-012-1588-7
- Authors
- Marine Buon, Laboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et de Psycholinguistique, Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique, Département d’Etudes Cognitives, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, France
- Emmanuel Dupoux, Laboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et de Psycholinguistique, Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique, Département d’Etudes Cognitives, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, France
- Pierre Jacob, Institut Jean Nicod, Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique, Département d’Etudes Cognitives, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, France
- Pauline Chaste, INSERM U 955, IMRB, University Paris Est Creteil, AP-HP, Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier Hospitals, Department of Psychiatry, Fondation FondaMental, French National Science Foundation, Creteil, France
- Marion Leboyer, INSERM U 955, IMRB, University Paris Est Creteil, AP-HP, Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier Hospitals, Department of Psychiatry, Fondation FondaMental, French National Science Foundation, Creteil, France
- Tiziana Zalla, Institut Jean Nicod, Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique, Département d’Etudes Cognitives, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, France
- Journal Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
- Online ISSN 1573-3432
- Print ISSN 0162-3257