Investigating facial expression production and inner outer face recognition in children with autism and typically developing children.

Behavioural and neuroimaging evidence suggests that autism is characterised, in part,
by deficits in social intelligence. Impairments in face and eye gaze processing and
facial expression recognition are often used to explain this deficit. Although the
general consensus is that children with autism are impaired in face and facial
expression processing the actual seat of impairment is unknown. Furthermore, face
recognition using only inner face information and facial expression production
without any visual cues has never been investigated in children with autism.
Research on the development of face recognition abilities provided mixed results with
regard to how children identify unfamiliar faces both in typical and atypical
populations. Recognising an unfamiliar face from only inner face has not been
investigated during development or in children with autism. This thesis investigated
unfamiliar face recognition from inner face only information firstly, during
developmental period of 5-10 years of age; and secondly, with children with autism
and individually matched controls. 5-l0-year-olds were exceptionally good at face
recognition from only inner face information. Children with autism were as good as
the matched controls in recognising unfamiliar faces from only inner face
information. These findings are discussed with reference to holistic face processing
ability and perceptual sameness of the stimuli.
Research on the development of facial expression recognition indicates a differential
pathway for different expressions both in typical and atypical populations. This thesis
investigated facial expression production ability with and without context in children
with autism and individually matched controls. Children with autism were atypical in
fear facial expression production and failed to use context to enhance performance.
These findings are discussed with reference to social intelligence and the role of
experience in early childhood in development of face expertise.