may melt the ice (p. 132). The natural history model is useful to describe and predict the behavioral course of ASD through time. Cognitive Models While the natural history model is descriptively useful to predict behavior change through time, it does not suggest possible biological differences responsible or correlated with these behavior changes. Efforts to link behavior to biology include cognitive models that describe fundamental cognitive processes required or associated with specific behavior patterns. Cognitive models seek to help us understand the underlying differences among individuals with ASD by attributing the many observed behavior differences to one or more core differences in underlying mental processes. Three popular models used to describe cognitive differences among individuals with ASD include the Weak Central Coherence (WCC) theory, Theory of Mind (ToM) theory, and the Empathizing-Systemizing (E-S) theory (Baron-Cohen, 2009). Weak Central Coherence The weak central coherence (WCC) theory predicts that while individuals with ASD may perform better than controls on tasks requiring detail-focused processing (Shah &Frith, 1993), they also show delays on tasks that require global processing: was “He extremely upset upon seeing anything broken or 238). In incomplete” (Kanner, 1943, p. other words, while most neurotypical individuals effortlessly integrate details into a generalized concept, those with ASD tend to focus on the details and may consequently miss the 1989). “big picture” (Frith,
may melt the ice (p. 132). The natural history model is useful to describe and predict the behavioral course of ASD through time. Cognitive Models While the natural history model is descriptively useful to predict behavior change through time, it does not suggest possible biological differences responsible or correlated with these behavior changes. Efforts to link behavior to biology include cognitive models that describe fundamental cognitive processes required or associated with specific behavior patterns. Cognitive models seek to help us understand the underlying differences among individuals with ASD by attributing the many observed behavior differences to one or more core differences in underlying mental processes. Three popular models used to describe cognitive differences among individuals with ASD include the Weak Central Coherence (WCC) theory, Theory of Mind (ToM) theory, and the Empathizing-Systemizing (E-S) theory (Baron-Cohen, 2009). Weak Central Coherence The weak central coherence (WCC) theory predicts that while individuals with ASD may perform better than controls on tasks requiring detail-focused processing (Shah &Frith, 1993), they also show delays on tasks that require global processing: “He was extremely upset upon seeing anything broken or incomplete” (Kanner, 1943, p. 238). In other words, while most neurotypical individuals effortlessly integrate details into a generalized concept, those with ASD tend to focus on the details and may consequently miss the “big picture” (Frith, 1989).
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