The association between past and future oriented thinking: Evidence from autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

This is the unspecified version of the paper.This version of the publication may differ from the final published version. depends on the same neurocognitive system that is implicated in the recall of past events (episodic memory). In this paper, we argue that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) offers an ideal test of such theories, given that it is a developmental disorder that is characterized by impairments in episodic memory. Each of these theories would predict concomitant impairments in episodic future thinking among individuals with ASD. We review evidence concerning episodic future thinking in ASD, as well as studies of prospective memory (remembering to do something in the future), planning, navigation, and theory of mind, which some theories suggest also rely on the same mechanism as episodic future thinking. Permanent repository link

Using Story-Based Interventions to Improve Episodic Memory in Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…31,32 Even when accurate pragmatic inferences can be drawn, persons with ASD often experience difficulty justifying their correct answers, suggesting that they are poor source monitors who are not always aware of how they derive answers from contextual information. 33 Finally, problems with EM in ASD are strongly associated with difficulties in future thinking, counterfactual reasoning, and central coherence, 22,27 leading many to believe (as described above) that mental simulation and scene construction are core EM underlying difficulties. 10…”

“…7,[19][20][21] Other aspects of theory of mind that codevelop with EM include, but are not limited to, introspection, imagination, counterfactual reasoning, and future thinking. 9,22,23 These cognitive codevelopments have led many researchers to conclude that the common psychological mechanism underlying EM is actually "scene construction." 19,24 Scene construction refers to "the process of mentally generating and maintaining a complex and coherent scene or event.…”

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“…Indeed, a few studies have linked taste-smell processing difficulties in autistics with greater communication and behavioral challenges (Hilton et al, 2010; Lane et al, 2011). Moreover, autistics tend to have challenges with not only past- but also future-oriented memory (prospective memory: remembering to carry out intentions); this contributes to planning, organization, multitasking, and social cognitive challenges (Rajendran et al, 2011; Lind and Williams, 2012; Williams et al, 2012). …”

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“…For example, high functioning individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) both recalled significantly fewer specific events than comparison participants, demonstrating impaired episodic memory, but also imagined fewer future events (Lind & Bowler, 2010;Lind & Williams, 2012). Equally, in depressed participants both memories for past events and imaginings of future events were over-generic and the amount of detail in each was correlated, again suggesting a similar underlying process (Williams et al, 1996).…”