Variations in implicit social learning in the typically ...

Variations in implicit social learning in the typically developed population Sylwia Macinska, Manon Krol and Tjeerd Jellema University of Hull, UK; University of Hull, UK; University of Hull, UK Perception 2015, Vol. 44 (S1), pages: 45-45. The ability to implicitly or spontaneously learn about others’ pro- or antisocial dispositions on the basis of a multitude of social cues is crucial for effective social interaction. The aim of the current study was to investigate variations in implicit social learning abilities in typically-developed individuals with few or many autistic traits, as assessed by Autism Quotient (AQ) questionnaire. In the learning phase, participants repeatedly observed two different identities whose gaze direction and facial expression were manipulated to convey either a pro- or anti-social disposition towards the observer. These dispositions were determined by specific cue contingencies, of which participants were crucially not aware (as confirmed in the debrief). In the test phase, participants showed specific biases in their perceptual report of morphs of the two identities, suggesting that others’ dispositions can be learned implicitly, that is, without awareness of the cue contingencies. Importantly, this ability was correlated with AQ scores; participants with higher AQ scores showed significantly less implicit social learning. Future research will examine whether individuals with autism are even more impaired in implicit social learning ability, which may explain their difficulties in adjusting behavior to social demands, and whether it is limited to the social domain. SM and MK were funded by University of Hull Studentships.