Savants, Segments, Art and Autism

Pring, Linda; Hermelin, Beate; Heavey, Lisa

doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.1995.tb01351.x

Cited by 79 publications

(88 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Mottron & Belleville (1993) provided the example of a savant artist who approached his drawings in a piecemeal fashion, while a professional draughtsman who served as a control used outlines in his drawings initially, then progressed to more detailed elements. Furthermore, both savant artists with autism and typically developing artists obtain high scores on the block design task (Pring et al 1995). This shared facility for segmenting patterns in both artists and those with autism suggests that WCC may contribute to the over-representation of savant skills in ASD.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

A case study of a multiply talented savant with an autism spectrum disorder: neuropsychological functioning and brain morphometry

Wallace

Happé²,

Giedd

2009

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Neuropsychological functioning and brain morphometry in a savant (case GW) with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and both calendar calculation and artistic skills are quantified and compared with small groups of neurotypical controls. Good memory, mental calculation and visuospatial processing, as well as (implicit) knowledge of calendar structure and 'weak' central coherence characterized the cognitive profile of case GW. Possibly reflecting his savant skills, the superior parietal region of GW's cortex was the only area thicker (while areas such as the superior and medial prefrontal, middle temporal and motor cortices were thinner) than that of a neurotypical control group. Taken from the perspective of learning/practice-based models, skills in domains (e.g. calendars, art, music) that capitalize upon strengths often associated with ASD, such as detailfocused processing, are probably further enhanced through over-learning and massive exposure, and reflected in atypical brain structure.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

A case study of a multiply talented savant with an autism spectrum disorder: neuropsychological functioning and brain morphometry

Wallace

Happé²,

Giedd

2009

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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“…A trick used in teaching accurate drawing to TD students is to copy pictures turned upside down: inversion disproportionately disrupts configural processing. Pring et al (1995) reported that block design skill, which may result from ability to see the parts within the to-be-copied design, was notable in children with artistic abilities and in children with autism. In the area of calendar calculation, too, Heavey has suggested that the starting point may be the discovery of small day-date regularities (Heavey et al 1999).…”

Section: (B) Executive Dysfunctionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What aspects of autism predispose to talent?

Happé

Vital

2009

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

155

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In this paper, we explore the question, why are striking special skills so much more common in autism spectrum conditions (ASC) than in other groups? Current cognitive accounts of ASC are briefly reviewed in relation to special skills. Difficulties in 'theory of mind' may contribute to originality in ASC, since individuals who do not automatically 'read other minds' may be better able to think outside prevailing fashions and popular theories. However, originality alone does not confer talent. Executive dysfunction has been suggested as the 'releasing' mechanism for special skills in ASC, but other groups with executive difficulties do not show raised incidence of talents. Detail-focused processing bias ('weak coherence', 'enhanced perceptual functioning') appears to be the most promising predisposing characteristic, or 'starting engine', for talent development. In support of this notion, we summarize data from a population-based twin study in which parents reported on their 8-year-olds' talents and their ASC-like traits. Across the whole sample, ASC-like traits, and specifically 'restricted and repetitive behaviours and interests' related to detail focus, were more pronounced in children reported to have talents outstripping older children. We suggest that detail-focused cognitive style predisposes to talent in savant domains in, and beyond, autism spectrum disorders.

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“…Segmentation strategy is thought to be a precursor to savant skill (Pring and Hermelin, 2002). So, although autism is a disorder characterised by impairment, WCC and segmentation strategy highlight the superiority in specific areas of individuals with autism over those without autism (Pring, Hermelin and Heavey, 1995;Happe, 1999) -a concept that fits in well with savant syndrome.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Stephen Wiltshire in Sacks, 1995) and calendrical calculators (Pring & Hermelin, 7 2002). Thus AP may be not only vital to musical savants, but an important attribute of savant syndrome itself (Pring, Hermelin & Heavey, 1995). Additionally, the fact that AP develops without explicit learning (Zatorre, 2003) underlines the implicit nature of the acquisition of savant knowledge networks.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Melody and Pitch Processing in Five Musical Savants with Congenital Blindness

2008

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Five musical savants with congenital blindness, seven musicians and seven non-musicians with good vision and normal intelligence took part in two experiments. In the first, participants reproduced note strings varying in length and key; in the second, participants learnt associations between four pitches and four objects using a non-verbal paradigm. In the first experiment, the savants and musicians performed statistically indistinguishably, both significantly outperforming the non-musicians. Within each independent variable, all participant groups exhibited similar error patterns. In the second experiment, all the savants performed without error. Low statistical power meant the savants were not statistically better than the musicians, although only the savants scored statistically higher than the non-musicians. The results are evidence for a musical module, separate from general intelligence; they also support the anecdotal reporting of absolute pitch in musical savants, which is thought to be necessary for the development of musical savant skill.3

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Savants, Segments, Art and Autism

Cited by 79 publications

References 8 publications

A case study of a multiply talented savant with an autism spectrum disorder: neuropsychological functioning and brain morphometry

A case study of a multiply talented savant with an autism spectrum disorder: neuropsychological functioning and brain morphometry

What aspects of autism predispose to talent?

Melody and Pitch Processing in Five Musical Savants with Congenital Blindness

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