Abstract
Observing incongruent actions interferes with ongoing action execution. This 'interference effect' is larger for observed biological actions than for non-biological actions. The current study used virtual reality to investigate the biological specificity of interference effects of action observation in autism spectrum conditions (ASC). High-functioning adults with ASC and age- and IQ-matched healthy controls performed horizontal sinusoidal arm movements whilst observing arm movements conducted by a virtual reality agent with either human or robot form, which moved with either biological motion or at a constant velocity. In another condition, participants made the same arm movements while observing a real human. Observed arm movements were either congruent or incongruent with executed arm movements. An interference effect was calculated as the average variance in the incongruent action dimension during observation of incongruent compared with congruent movements. Control participants exhibited an interference effect when observing real human and virtual human agent incongruent movements but not when observing virtual robot agent movements. Individuals with ASC differed from controls in that they showed no interference effects for real human, virtual human or virtual robot movements. The current study demonstrates atypical interference effects in ASC.
Highlights
Observing an incongruent action made by another human interferes with ongoing action execution (Kilner et al 2003, 2007; Chaminade et al 2005; Oztop et al 2005; Bouquet et al 2007; Stanley et al 2007; Gowen et al 2008)
High-functioning adults with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) and age- and IQ-matched healthy controls performed horizontal sinusoidal arm movements whilst observing arm movements conducted by a virtual reality agent with either human or robot form, which moved with either biological motion or at a constant velocity
Individuals with ASC differed from controls in that they showed no interference effects for real human, virtual human or virtual robot movements
Summary
Observing an incongruent action made by another human interferes with ongoing action execution (Kilner et al 2003, 2007; Chaminade et al 2005; Oztop et al 2005; Bouquet et al 2007; Stanley et al 2007; Gowen et al 2008). When required to execute an action (e.g. horizontal sinusoidal arm movements) whilst simultaneously observing an incongruent action (e.g. vertical sinusoidal arm movements), individuals’ movements are more variable in the direction of the observed action than when observing a congruent action (Kilner et al 2003, 2007; Gowen et al 2008). This ‘interference effect’ is greater for observed real human compared with robot actions (Kilner et al 2003). The current study used virtual reality to investigate the biological specificity of interference effects of action observation in autism spectrum conditions (ASC)
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