Compensation in autism is not consistent with social motivation theory

Lucy Anne Livingston, Punit Shah, Francesca Happé

OAI: oai:purehost.bath.ac.uk:publications/04ef1694-3319-4480-8aa1-be134e2bfa2a • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X18002388

Growing evidence, as presented by Jaswal & Akhtar, indicates that social motivation is not universally reduced in autism. Here, we evaluate and extend this argument in light of recent evidence of “compensation” in autism. We thereby argue that autistic “compensators” – exhibiting neurotypical behaviour despite persistent difficulties in social cognition – indicate intact or potentially heightened social motivation in autism.