Understanding Minds and Metaphors: Insights from the Study of Figurative Language in Autism
Abstract
This article reviews recent work on autistic individuals' understanding of figurative language. One currently influential theory of autism proposes that the key impairments in imagination, socialization, and communication spring from a fundamental deficit in "theory of mind"--the ability to attribute mental states to self and to others. Autism, then, presents a fascinating test case for theories such as Sperber and Wilson's (1986) relevance theory, which claims a crucial role for the understanding of intentions in everyday communication. In this article, I present evidence that understanding of simile, metaphor, and irony by children with autism is closely related to their level of theory of mind ability. The case of autism demonstrates the crucial role of the understanding of intentions in normal human communication, both "literal" and figurative.
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Two separate logistic regressions using vocabulary and similarities instead of VCI at step 1 produced results virtually identical to those for VCI in terms of patterns of statistical significance, variance explained and odds ratios.
“Following a reviewer’s suggestion that the ability to understand more complex language (cf. Happé 1995) – perhaps as indexed by the vocabulary (or similarities) component of the WASI-II – may underpin ToM task performance, we ran two separate logistic regressions using vocabulary and similarities instead of VCI at step 1. In both cases, the results (available from the authors)–in terms of patterns”
From Measuring Theory of Mind in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (2017) · cites this paper as Happé 1995
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Cognitive Mechanisms underlying visual perspective taking in typical and ASC children
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Figurative language processing in autism spectrum disorders: A review
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“Shall I compare thee”: The neural basis of literary awareness, and its benefits to cognition
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Reference Across Pathologies: A New Linguistic Lens on Disorders of Thought
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Xygkou, A., Siriaraya, P., She, W. J., Covaci, A., & Ang, C. S. (2024) · International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction · doi:10.1080/10447318.2023.2292880 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
ERP Correlates of Individual Differences in the Comprehension of Nonliteral Language
Blasko, D. G., & Kazmerski, V. A. (2006) · Metaphor and Symbol · doi:10.1207/s15327868ms2104_4 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
Beyond sarcasm: Intonation and Context as Relational Cues in Children's Recognition of Irony
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Linking metacognition and mindreading: Evidence from autism and dual-task investigations.
Nicholson, T., Williams, D. M., Lind, S. E., Grainger, C., & Carruthers, P. (2021) · Journal of Experimental Psychology: General · doi:10.1037/xge0000878 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
“…example, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder diagnosed on the basis of significant impairments in social-communication and behavioral flexibility (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) and is characterized unambiguously by diminished mindreading ability (e.g., Happé, 1995).”
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Morphology in autism spectrum disorders: Local processing bias and language
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Explaining metaphors in high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder children: A brief report
Melogno, S., D’Ardia, C., Pinto, M. A., & Levi, G. (2011) · Research in Autism · doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2011.09.005 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Kloosterman, P. H., Kelley, E. A., Parker, J. D. A., & Craig, W. (2014) · Research in Autism · doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2013.12.006 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Wood, L. J., Robins, B., Lakatos, G., Syrdal, D. S., Zaraki, A., & Dautenhahn, K. (2019) · Paladyn Journal of Behavioral Robotics · doi:10.1515/pjbr-2019-0013 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
The Phenomenological Objection to Fictionalism
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Play and playfulness in psychiatry: a selective review
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Assessing Theory of Mind by Humor: The Humor Comprehension and Appreciation Test (ToM-HCAT)
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Ad-hoc and scalar implicatures in children with autism spectrum disorder
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Answering Questions and Explaining Answers: A Study of Finnish-Speaking Children
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How many pragmatic systems are there?
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Idiom and proverb processing in autism: a systematic review and meta-analysis
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Executive functions and pragmatics in children with high-functioning autism
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Asperger Syndrome and Schizophrenia: A Comparative Neuropsychological Study
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Computational considerations of comparisons and similes
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Pragmatic Ability Deficit in Schizophrenia and Associated Theory of Mind and Executive Function
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Mazza, M., Pino, M. C., Keller, R., Vagnetti, R., Attanasio, M., Filocamo, A., Donne, I. L., Masedu, F., & Valenti, M. (2021) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-021-05035-3 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
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- Authors
- Happé, F. G. E.
- Venue
- Metaphor and Symbolic Activity
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 1995-12
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 275-295
- ISSN
- 0885-7253 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2073057017
- Cited by
- 302
- References
- 65
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 26 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 28 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 23 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 0.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Metaphor and Symbolic Activity (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Language, Metaphor, and Cognition
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Keywords
- autism spectrum disorder, theory of mind, figurative language, metaphor, simile, irony, relevance theory, intention understanding, children with autism, social cognition
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