Imitation and the Social Mind Autism and Typical Development

by Rogers, Sally J.; Williams, Justin H. G.

• ISBN13: 9781593853112
• ISBN10: 1593853114
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-05-25
• Publisher: The Guilford Press

Summary

From earliest infancy, a typically developing child imitates or mirrors the facial expressions, postures and gestures, and emotional behavior of others. Where does this capacity come from, and what function does it serve? What happens when imitation is impaired? Synthesizing cutting-edge research emerging from a range of disciplines, this important book examines the role of imitation in both autism and typical development. Topics include the neural and evolutionary bases of imitation, its pivotal connections to language development and relationships, and how early imitative deficits in autism might help explain the more overt social and communication problems of older children and adults.

Author Biography

Sally J. Rogers, PhD, is Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California, Davis. Her work in autism represents a lifetime interest in developmental disabilities. Dr. Rogers's research on imitation in autism grew out of her clinical and research experiences while Professor of Psychiatry at JFK Partners at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. She was intrigued by the puzzling lack of normal mirroring and coordination with others' movements, gestures, and emotional displays that she experienced during interactions with children and adults with autism. This set in motion a line of studies focused on imitation problems in autism, and the creation of interventions to promote social responsivity and communication development.

Justin H. G. Williams, MRCPsych, commenced his scientific career in 1993, studying ecology and evolutionary biology before pursuing postgraduate training in psychiatry. He specialized in child psychiatry and moved to Scotland, where he started working with Andrew Whiten and David Perrett from the University of St. Andrews. Together, they considered the relationship of imitation to autism at a time when "mirror neurons" were a new phenomenon. In 2000 Dr. Williams became Senior Lecturer in Child Psychiatry, University of Aberdeen, where he has developed a research program to understand the neural substrate of autism. He also serves as Honorary Consultant in Child Psychiatry at Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital.

Table of Contents

PART I. IMITATION IN TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1. Studies of Imitation in Early Infancy: Findings and Theories	3	(24)
Sally J. Rogers
CHAPTER 2. Vocal and Action Imitation by Infants and Toddlers during Dyadic Interactions: Development, Causes, and Consequences	27	(21)
Elise Frank Masur
CHAPTER 3. Instrumental, Social, and Shared Goals and Intentions in Imitation	48	(23)
Malinda Carpenter
CHAPTER 4. Mimicry and Autism: Bases and Consequences of Rapid, Automatic Matching Behavior	71	(25)
Eric J. Moody and Daniel N. McIntosh
CHAPTER 5. Imitation and the Development of Language	96	(22)
Tony Charman
CHAPTER 6. Does Imitation Matter to Children with Autism?	118	(20)
Jacqueline Nadel
CHAPTER 7. Imitation and Self-Recognition in Autism: In Search of an Explanation	138	(19)
Mark Nielsen, Thomas Suddendorf, and Cheryl Dissanayake
CHAPTER 8. Imitation, Theory of Mind, and Cultural Knowledge: Perspectives from Typical Development and Autism	157	(41)
Eva Loth and Juan Carlos Gómez
CHAPTER 9. Imitation, Identification, and the Shaping of Mind: Insights from Autism	198	(29)
Peter Hobson and Jessica Meyer
PART II. EVOLUTIONARY AND NEURAL BASES OF IMITATION
CHAPTER 10. The Dissection of Imitation and Its "Cognitive Kin" in Comparative and Developmental Psychology	227	(24)
Andrew Whiten
CHAPTER 11. A Cognitive Neuroscience View of Imitation	251	(26)
Jean Decety
PART III. IMITATION IN AUTISM AND OTHER CLINICAL GROUPS
Biobehavioral Findings and Clinical Implications
CHAPTER 12. Imitation in Autism: Findings and Controversies	277	(33)
Sally J. Rogers and Justin H.G. Williams
CHAPTER 13. Longitudinal Research on Motor Imitation in Autism	310	(19)
Susan L. Hepburn and Wendy L. Stone
CHAPTER 14. Measuring the Development of Motor-Control Processes in Neurodevelopmental Disorders	329	(23)
Mark Mon-Williams and James R. Tresilian
CHAPTER 15. Neuroimaging Self–Other Mapping in Autism	352	(25)
Justin H.G. Williams and Gordon D. Waiter
CHAPTER 16. Assessment of Imitation Abilities in Autism: Conceptual and Methodological Issues	377	(22)
Isabel M. Smith, Crystal Lowe-Pearce, and Shana L. Nichols
CHAPTER 17. The Effect of Motor Disorders on Imitation in Children	399	(32)
Deborah Dewey and Shauna Bottos
CHAPTER 18. Conclusions	431	(24)
Bruce F. Pennington, Justin H.G. Williams, and Sally J. Rogers
Index	455