We investigated whether there is an association between autistic traits in the broader phenotype and the ability to compute scalar implicatures. Previous studies found that the frequency of autistic traits is higher in students of science than of humanities. Here we recorded the frequency of rejection of underinformative scalar items in students enrolled either in a science or in a humanities curriculum and assessed their autistic traits using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient questionnaire. We found that rejections were less frequent in science curricula students than in humanities curricula students. Moreover, rejections were associated negatively with autistic traits and positively with performance on Theoryof- Mind tasks. These findings suggest that autism cognitive phenotype is negatively associated with a propensity to spontaneously derive scalar implicatures.

A diminished propensity to compute scalar implicatures is linked to autistic traits / Greta Mazzaggio; Luca Surian. - In: ACTA LINGUISTICA ACADEMICA. - ISSN 2559-8201. - ELETTRONICO. - 65:(2018), pp. 4.651-4.668. [10.1556/2062.2018.65.4.4]

A diminished propensity to compute scalar implicatures is linked to autistic traits

Greta Mazzaggio
;
2018

Abstract

We investigated whether there is an association between autistic traits in the broader phenotype and the ability to compute scalar implicatures. Previous studies found that the frequency of autistic traits is higher in students of science than of humanities. Here we recorded the frequency of rejection of underinformative scalar items in students enrolled either in a science or in a humanities curriculum and assessed their autistic traits using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient questionnaire. We found that rejections were less frequent in science curricula students than in humanities curricula students. Moreover, rejections were associated negatively with autistic traits and positively with performance on Theoryof- Mind tasks. These findings suggest that autism cognitive phenotype is negatively associated with a propensity to spontaneously derive scalar implicatures.
2018
65
651
668
Greta Mazzaggio; Luca Surian
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
ALing.2018.65.4.4.MazzaggioSurian.pdf

Accesso chiuso

Tipologia: Pdf editoriale (Version of record)
Licenza: Tutti i diritti riservati
Dimensione 747.61 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
747.61 kB Adobe PDF   Richiedi una copia
ALing.2018.65.4.4.MazzaggioSurian.pdf

Accesso chiuso

Tipologia: Pdf editoriale (Version of record)
Licenza: Tutti i diritti riservati
Dimensione 747.61 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
747.61 kB Adobe PDF   Richiedi una copia

I documenti in FLORE sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificatore per citare o creare un link a questa risorsa: https://hdl.handle.net/2158/1171792
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 7
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 8
social impact