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Lack of motivation to share intentions: Primary deficit in autism?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 October 2005

Eline Verbeke*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Psychodiagnostics and Psychopathology, K. U. Leuven Faculty of Medicine, Child Psychiatry, U. Z. Leuven (Academic Hospital) and K. U. Leuven Department of Psychology, Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, K. U. Leuven, B-3000Leuven, Belgium
Wilfried Peeters*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, Child Psychiatry, U. Z. Leuven (Academic Hospital) and K. U. Leuven
Inneke Kerkhof*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, K. U. Leuven, B-3000Leuven, Belgium
Patricia Bijttebier*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Psychodiagnostics and Psychopathology, K. U. Leuven
Jean Steyaert*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, Child Psychiatry, U. Z. Leuven (Academic Hospital) and K. U. Leuven
Johan Wagemans*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, K. U. Leuven, B-3000Leuven, Belgium

Abstract

We review evidence regarding Tomasello et al.'s proposal that individuals with autism understand intentions but fail socially because of a lack of motivation to share intentions. We argue that they are often motivated to understand others but fail because they lack the perceptual integration skills that are needed to apply their basically intact theory of mind skills in complex social situations.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2005

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