Autistic adults form first impressions from voices in similar ways to non‐autistic adults

Datos Bibliográficos

ID9619668
AutoresCeci Qing Cai (0000-0003-0580-2208, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience University College London London UK, autor de correspondencia), Rong Ma (0000-0001-8941-6966, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience University College London London UK), Terry Hin Ng (Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience University College London London UK), Sarah J White (0000-0001-6946-9155, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience University College London London UK), Nadine Lavan (0000-0001-7569-0817, Centre for Brain and Behaviour, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences Queen Mary University of London London UK, autor de correspondencia)
Año2025
Volumen116
Número4
Páginas1150-1163
Fecha de publicación2025-07-03
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaBritish Journal of Psychology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0007-1269 • E-ISSN: 2044-8295
EditorialWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/bjop.70006
PMID40608061
OpenAlexW4411981319
IdiomaEN
Referencias citadas49

In everyday life, listeners spontaneously and rapidly form first impressions from others' voices. Previous research shows that, compared to non‐autistic people, autistic people show similarities and differences in how they evaluate others based on their faces. However, it remains unclear whether autistic people form first impressions from voices in the same way as non‐autistic people. We asked both autistic and non‐autistic listeners to rate an inferred characteristic (trustworthiness) and an apparent characteristic (age) from voice recordings to establish how they form first impressions from voices. Non‐autistic and autistic listeners formed first impressions for age and trustworthiness in similar ways. Specifically, both groups showed comparable overall ratings of age and trustworthiness of voices. Further, both autistic and non‐autistic listeners required similar amounts of information to form an impression. Finally, when comparing trait impressions within‐ and across‐groups, we again found no systematic evidence of impression formation differing between autistic and non‐autistic people. These findings indicate that first impression formation is potentially a relative social strength in autism. This suggests that the social challenges encountered by autistic people may be confined to specific areas of social perception rather than being universally pervasive

Autism · Autism spectrum disorder · Autistic spectrum · Autistic traits · Developmental psychology · Everyday life · Impression formation · Perception · Social perception · Social relation · Trait · Trustworthiness · Autism Spectrum Disorder Research · Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior · Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders · Psychology · Social Psychology