About the lecture

In this lecture, we think about a cognitive theory of autism known as the ‘weak central coherence hypothesis’, focusing in particular on: (i) the origins of this theory in the work of Uta Frith (1989), which suggested that individuals with autism differ from others in the way they process information, i.e. by being overly focused on detail at the expense of overall meaning or broader contexts; (ii) the two psychometric tests which have been used to offer evidence of this theory being the embedded figures test and the block design test; (iii) some thoughts on how the unusual cognitive and perceptual abilities displayed by individuals with autism can be seen as strengths as well as weaknesses.

About the lecturer

Peter Mitchell is Professor and Director of Studies in Psychology at the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus. Previously, he was head of the School of Psychology on the University of Nottingham’s UK campus. He has published six books and is editor of the British Journal of Psychology. Professor Mitchell has served as Chair of the Developmental Section of the British Psychological Society and as Chief Examiner for the Economic and Social Research Council UK PhD studentship competition. Some of Professor Mitchell’s recent publications include ‘Autism and the double empathy problem: Implications for development and mental health’ (2020) and ‘Do neurotypical people like or dislike autistic people?’ (2021).