A quarterly publication of the Autism Research Institute
Spring, 2017 | Number 2, Volume 31
Individuals with autism have an increased capacity for processing sounds, according to a new British study whose authors say this ability confers both advantages and disadvantages.
Anna Remington and Jake Fairnie asked 17 adults with autism and 19 neurotypical controls to perform two computer-based tasks. In the first task, the participants listened to an array of animal sounds played simultaneously and seemingly coming from different locations. In addition, they heard a non-animal sound (a car) during 50% of the trials. The participants were asked to identify two target sounds (a dog’s bark and a lion’s roar) and also to indicate whether the car sound was present or absent. In this task, the individuals with autism performed much better than controls at spotting the car sound while also identifying the animal sound.
In the second task, the researchers asked participants to listen to a recording of two men and two women preparing for a party, and to focus on what the two women in the group said so they could answer questions about the conversation later. Again, the scene was recorded in a way that conveyed three-dimensionality. During the scene, an additional male character entered, continually repeating the phrase, “I’m a gorilla.” While both groups did equally well on the primary task, individuals with autism were much more likely to notice this distraction, with 47% of them noticing the “gorilla” man as opposed to only 12% of controls.
In short, the researchers found that individuals with autism are better at detecting a target sound within a group of sounds, and also notice irrelevant background information more often when listening to a conversation. In light of these results, the researchers say, “While it is clear that further research is warranted, our findings reframe the altered behaviors [seen in autism] in terms of increased capacity, rather than a filtering deficit or inability to maintain focus.” They add, “This reinterpretation fits well with anecdotal reports from autistic people who describe their ears being ‘like microphones,’ picking up all the surrounding sounds indiscriminately.”
Remington says, “This increased capacity may offer an explanation for the auditory superiorities seen in autism such as heightened pitch detection: if you can take in more information, then you can perform many tasks more efficiently. However, somewhat counterintuitively, this same ‘skill’ could result in the sensory overload that is often reported in autism—an issue which can be very distressing, and subsequently interfere with social communication.”
Remington concludes, “While we must not downplay the challenges associated with autism, our study raises awareness of a more positive side to the condition. By promoting the idea that we can harness strengths to improve outcomes, we embrace neurodiversity and undermine the traditional view that autism is only associated with deficits. This is an important message that is currently being championed by many in the autistic community,”
“A sound advantage: Increased auditory capacity in autism,” Anna Remington and Jake Fairnie, Cognition, May 3, 2017 (online). Address: Anna Remington, Centre for Research in Autism and Education, UCL Institute of Education, 55-59 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0NU, United Kingdom, [email protected].
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“Greater capacity to detect sound gives autistic people an advantage,” UCL News, May 3, 2017.
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“People with autism can hear more than most—which can be a strength and a challenge,” Anna Remington, The Conversation, Medical Xpress, May 3, 2017.
