Are the autism and positive schizotypy spectra diametrically opposed in local versus global processing?
Autistic-like traits speed hidden-shape search; positive schizotypy traits slow it—adjust visual task pace accordingly.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team asked 200 college students to find hidden shapes inside busy pictures.
Each student also filled out two short surveys. One measured mild autism-like traits. The other measured mild schizotypy traits.
The test timed how fast each student spotted the hidden shape.
What they found
Students with more autism-like traits found the hidden shape faster.
Students with more positive schizotypy traits found it slower.
The two traits pulled in opposite directions, like a see-saw.
How this fits with other research
Potter et al. (2013) tried the same see-saw idea with empathy and systemizing tasks. They found no pull either way. The picture is task-specific, not universal.
Laycock et al. (2014) saw the opposite pattern: high autistic traits made adults worse on quick visual discriminations. Their task used sudden flashes, not hidden shapes. Method matters.
Zappullo et al. (2023) extended the 2010 result. They showed that strong local focus helps high-trait adults rotate objects in space, not just find hidden shapes.
Alonso Soriano et al. (2015) looked at real ASD teens and found no local advantage. Trait studies and clinical groups can give different answers.
Why it matters
When you build visual tasks, know that mild autism-like focus can speed search, while mild schizotypy can slow it. Match task speed to the learner. If a student struggles, try slowing the display or giving extra cues. If a student races ahead, use the fast pace to keep engagement high.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Crespi and Badcock (2008) proposed that autism and psychosis represent two extremes on a cognitive spectrum with normality at its center. Their specific claim that autistic and positive schizophrenia traits contrastingly affect preference for local versus global processing was investigated by examining Embedded Figures Test performance in two groups of students separated on autistic-like traits but matched on positive schizotypy traits, and two groups separated on positive schizotypy traits but matched on autistic-like traits (n = 20 per group). Consistent with their theory, higher levels of autistic-like traits were associated with faster identification of hidden figures, whereas higher levels of positive schizotypy traits were associated with slower identification.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2010 · doi:10.1007/s10803-010-0945-7