Wed 4 Feb, 13.00 in Jubilee G36
Zoe Hopkins The
contribution of inhibitory control to language alignment in children
with autism
Alignment is the tendency of speakers to copy one another’s
language when in conversation. Alignment abilities are intact in children with
an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), who converge language with a conversational
partner to the same extent as typical children, both in experimental (Allen et
al, 2011) and naturalistic (Hopkins et al., 2015) interactions.
It is not known, however, whether the mechanisms underpinning
alignment behaviour are the same or different in ASD and typical children. The
present study examined lexical alignment in ASD children, and the role of
inhibitory mechanisms in the alignment process. Inhibitory control has been
implicated in language processing, particularly in a dialogic context (e.g.
Brown-Schmidt, 2009). It can also be an area of impairment for ASD children
(Hill, 2004).
12 ASD children were matched pair-wise to typical children
on the basis of (1) chronological and (2) verbal age. Children completed an
embedded lexical priming task, along with delay (Go/No-Go task) and conflict
inhibitory (Junior Hayling task) control measures. There was a relationship
between alignment and delay but not conflict inhibition, a finding discussed with
reference to current alignment theory, as well as task exigencies.
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