Evaluating Theories of Autism

This article explores the ToM hypothesis and Executive Dysfunction Disorder as theories of autism. It discusses their usefulness and evaluation criteria, including specificity, universality, and uniqueness. The article also provides insights into autism, cognitive theories, and the deficits associated with ToM and Executive Dysfunction Disorder.

Running head: EVALUATING THEORIES OF AUTISM 1
Evaluating Theories of Autism
Name
Institution

EVALUATING THEORIES OF AUTISM 2
EVALUATING THEORIES OF AUTISM
Introduction
The ToM hypothesis remains the standard and mostly investigated theories of autism. It
was initially developed when researchers were analyzing the features which might or might not
be distinct to the human species. The notion was that the person with a ToM must identify the
mental conditions individually as well as in other people and utilize such info to predict the
behavior of the others. Following the reading regarding this idea, Simon Baron-Cohen (scientist)
created this autism’s theory. Simon recommended that it remains apparently this capability
which is compromised in kids with the autism. In a nutshell, ToM highlights that stays the
deficiency to take others’ viewpoint which leads to various shared shortfalls in autism including
deliberate communication, make-believe to play as well as conjecturing the beliefs and emotions
of other people. Such a gap is usually referred to us, “mindfulness.” The deficit in this theory
leads to people on autism spectrum to perform less in activities which need “mind reading” as
opposed to respective characteristically emerging peers.
Autism
Autism is a neural developmental condition which is pervasive, and it affects processing
of information in many ways. This disorder affects males more than female, and it manifests by
age two (Schurz, Radua, Aichhorn, Richlan & Perner, 2014). People with autism find it hard to
interact socially with other people, have difficulties in communication, have sensory deficits, and
their motor coordination is poor. This condition exists in an autism spectrum disorder because its
symptoms vary greatly. Some people with autism have low intellectual abilities while others are
quite intelligent. The cause of autism is still unclear.
Cognitive Theories

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Cognitive theories predominate psychological autism’s studies The have also cut through
issues of specificity that poses a question as for whether autism results from the domain-
particular variable or whether manifold aspects are engaged; uniqueness which also suggests
whether the variables exclusive to autism or it is further responsible for the development of other
disorders? Finally, a universality which poses another question whether the factor(s) found in all
autism/majority?
ToM deficit implies that ASD-infected individuals could brawl in such ways as:
explanation of respective conduct; comprehending; corresponding emotions; prediction of
emotional or behavior of states of other people; comprehending others’ viewpoints; inferring the
others’ intentions; knowledge that behavior influences how other people feel or think and
distinguishing facts and fiction. Because of such deficits, explicit teaching about how people can
fathom emotion of other people and how to solve the social situations problems remains essential
(Haker, Schneebeli & Stephan, 2016).
Approaches like social, role-play and visual tales to jog the memory of autistic people
regarding emotional conditions and proper behavior remains critical. Moreover, teachers and
parents working with people on spectrum must stay careful never to blame behavior which has
repercussions which are never entirely comprehended by that kid or adult. It is always essential
to think about explaining how behavior influences other people or make them feel before
reprimanding (Oakley, Brewer, Bird & Catmur, 2016).
Theory of Mind Hypothesis (ToM)
This is the most commonly researched theories of autism. It was created by Simon. It was
created initially when the investigators were investigating phenomena which could have been or
not distinct to humans. It primarily targeted that a person with a ToM must specify mental

EVALUATING THEORIES OF AUTISM 4
conditions individually and other people and utilize the info to predict about the conduct of other
individual. Simon Baron-Cohen after that developed the theory of Mind Hypothesis when he
read this concept. ToM highlights that the deficiency in taking others’ viewpoints leads in
several of the shared shortfalls in autism. For instance, pretend play, inferring others’ emotions
and beliefs and intentional communication. The deficit is termed “mindblindness” The
individuals struggle areas such as: explaining their habits, comprehending perspectives of others,
predicting the behaviors or emotional states of others, fathom their conducts, differentiating fact
and fiction, understanding the conduct influences how other people think and feel alongside
inferring the intentions of others (Meltzer, 2018).
These deficits call for the demand of comprehensive teaching that regards understanding
others’ emotions and the way of solving the problem in social context. Useful approaches like
role-play, visuals or social stories for reminding autistic persons regarding emotional conditions
or accepted conducts can be employed. Nonetheless, Guardians and teachers working with
autistic individuals should consider not to blame actions that have consequences that are not well
clear by the child or adult, they should instead explain how behaviors result on others or cause
others feel before reprimanding (Cheng, Rolls, Gu, Zhang & Feng, 2015).
Executive Dysfunction Disorder
This theory also explains the deficits in ASD disorder hypothesis it is alternatively
referred to as the compound information processing theory. This theory was proposed by
Pennington and Ozonoff (1996) after observing autistic individuals wrangling in multifaceted
tasks which engaged abstract ideas like planning and reasoning. Neuropsychological tests have
been used to expand this theory. Individuals with ASD were observed fighting over their fellows

EVALUATING THEORIES OF AUTISM 5
following their brain must process complex info at once. Individuals diagnosed with ADHD also
have reduced executive functioning.
An executive functioning deficit indicates that ASD-infected children skirmish in
following parts; organizing things, following multi-step directions, planning in next activity or
future, combining information from various sources to solve the problem. Environmental support
is useful to help individuals struggling with executive functioning. This involves checklists,
everyday planners alongside homework logs between guardians; teachers or parents to ensure
children are organized and to assist homework accomplishment. Also, extra time to be given for
students to process instructions. Instructions to be provided one step at a time or repeating the
instructions once again.
Evaluation of ToM and Executive Dysfunctional Theories
Specificity
A good theory tells readers what it can say to them with specificity. As observed above,
the two theories have incorporated its restraints though can swiftly and efficiently prune away
inquiry lines which remain fruitless permanently (Wellman, 2014). The instance par excellence
comes from classical computation theory, with its outcome on formally undecidable propositions
(Milton, 2017). The best instance of this dynamic at work arises from the utilization of the
Turing’s favorite result to illustrate in just fewer lines the undecidability of the static info flow
safety examination. The two theories remain specific to autism and focus on helping readers to
best understand the phenomena in details (Bora et al., 2016).
Universality
From the two theories, the universality criteria can be used to evaluate them. A good
method has to be universal and makes its inapplicability immediately as well as unambiguously

EVALUATING THEORIES OF AUTISM 6
known. This could be the most vital characteristic the two theories have. There is usually a
powerful temptation to being enamored with a given theory that it subsequently becomes
challenging to differentiate an elegant illustration from a fully insubstantial fantasy. With its
requirement for a vast plethora of swift-and-dirty theories, physical chemistry appears to be
increasingly apt at the generation of models which speak their applicability up-front alongside
neatly hand off control to their corresponding options when their presuppositions fail (Schurz,
Radua, Aichhorn, Richlan & Perner, 2014).
Each model predicts substantially different conduct or behaviors provided different
spatial scales alongside different temperature alongside pressure status, occasions radically.
Whereas such a diversity of different perception could appear cluttered alongside confusing from
the views of assimilating the discipline knowledge, it is, however, quite easy to establish which
model applies to a particular context. Assumptions for remain extremely precise from the
beginning, and albeit they integrate known alongside deliberate estimations, such are anticipated
in a manner which comprehends the imprecisions alongside their corresponding aftermaths.
Based, this criterion, it is true that the two theories meet the requirements as they have both made
their deficits promptly known as have been highlighted above (Panero et al., 2016).
Uniqueness
A good theory is one that makes predictions from the previous ones and hence being
unique. As seen in the two theories, the uniqueness criteria have been met. This criterion applies
to how much uncertainty is ushered in by the application of a given theory, or other words, to
what extent a given theory lends itself to the procedure of computation. It is apparently this
characteristic which accounts for the unparalleled success of the theory of ToM and Executive
dysfunctional (Snyder, Kaiser, Warren & Heller, 2015). This is because, they have translated the

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observed phenomena, autism efficiently, into readily transformable symbolic connotations
thereby allowing inferences to be composed quickly with each other. This implies that the two
theories readily build on their successes (Schuwerk, Vuori, & Sodian, 2015).
Whereas there is a certain danger that the concrete realities shall never fit well with their
respective symbolic outlines that is that failures shall further build on failures, the two theories
can rapidly turn over their findings into novel outcomes shall have the chanced to propagate
errors forward in a manner which shall ultimately remain conspicuous, and diagnosable. It is true
that the two theories can readily integrate their predictions as antecedents to novel inferences and
hence make them both unique (Fliss et al., 2016). Whereas it is necessary to have the conceptual
foundation for taking into account any phenomenon, and while such a basis is an essential
condition for these two theories, it remains easy to observe that a theory, as regarded here,
remains more than merely a framing gadget (Nolen-Hoeksema & Rector, 2015).
Conclusion
Whereas a definitive breakdown of what comprises a good theory is absolutely an
enticing goal, the paper is purposed more as the exploration of the matters than as any eventual
word. Much has been put across on this subject of good theory. Many theories have been
evaluated regarding their usefulness and have failed the test of a good theory regarding
uniqueness, universality, and specificity.
ToM and Executive Dysfunctional theories have passed these criteria and hence have
subsequently remained useful for many years. They have been both understandable and have
exhibited reasonable, structural corroboration because they are both internally and contextually
consistent. They are never trivial but remains significant with relevance to life and real behavior,

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autism. They have thus both presented an explanation about autism and deep understanding of
the actual behavior, or the connotation hence making them accepted.

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