Socio Psych Exp Empathising Systemising

Question 1

What does the theory suggest about people with ASD

Answer 1

people with ASD have impaired empathising but hyderdeveloped systemising ability

Question 2

What are the two components of empathy

Answer 2

Cognitive element
Affective empathy

Question 3

What is the cognitive element

Answer 3

Recognising and understanding the mental state of others

Question 4

What is the affective empathy

Answer 4

Ability to respond appropriately to people’s emotional state

Question 5

What is empathising

Answer 5

A drive to recognise identify and respond to other people’s emotional states

Question 6

What is systemising

Answer 6

The drive to analyse and understand systems

Question 7

What are example of systems

Answer 7

Mechanical systems- computers, locks, cameras
Numerical systems- calendars, schedules, train/bus timetables
Collectible systems- rocks, wood types
Natural systems- weather, tidal patterns
Social systems- management hierarchy

Question 8

Why is the systemising ability important

Answer 8

Is important in non social contexts as it allows us to predict how a system will behave. We analyse systems to understand how they are structured and the rules underlying them to make sense of our world

Question 9

This could explain gender differences in diagnosis as

Answer 9

Females are considered better empathisers. Males are considered better systemisers. Therefore ASD is seen as more extreme male behaviour

Question 10

Impaired empathising can explain

Answer 10

Difficulties in social interactions
Difficulty maintaining relationships
Inappropriate responses in conversations

Question 11

Hyper developed systemising can explain

Answer 11

Ability to recall specific details.
Narrow interests
Repetitive behaviours

Question 12

Lawson et al
3 groups is ps took part in study
Males with Asperger’s, males without Asperger’s and females from the general population. On empathising task females scored significantly higher than control males who scored higher than males with Asperger’s. Females scored significantly lowered than both male groups on the systemising task

Answer 12

This shows that ASD can be explained through E-S theory as it shows that people with ASD have an impairment in empathising ability and have a strong systemising ability

Question 13

Applying explanations to methods of modifying
Empathising systemising = Lego therapy

Answer 13

If research suggests that people with ASD have hyperdevelkped systemising we can use this to help develop social skills that children with ASD usually lack
Lego therapy is a child led therapy that aims to improve social interactions of children by appealing their systemising brain.
Children are given roles and asked to construct a model from Lego. To be successful they must work together. The process of building Lego models appeals to children with ASD as the toy itself if suited to be systemised due to its predictable and systematic nature