"CRIME AND PUNISHMENT": THE UNDERSTANDING OF VIOLATIONS OF BEHAVIORIAL NORMS IN AUTISM

Background: Proposed punishment for misbehavior has been used to assess comprehension of social conventions in typically developing children. Measures include appropriateness of the proposed judgment and degree of severity. These measures of understanding of social norms have not yet been investigated among individuals with autism.

Objectives: The present research analyzed suggested punishment for wrongdoing presented in pictures, and compared proposed punishments among students with HFA with those proposed by children with typical development.

Methods: Eighteen students with autism and 18 without autism were matched on full, verbal, and performance IQs. Autism diagnosis was ascertained by ADI and ADOS scores. Each participant was asked to assess everyday social interactions shown in 10 pictures. For behaviors judged unacceptable, the students were asked: "Should the people in the picture be punished for this behavior?"; "What is a suitable punishment?". All answers were transcribed.  

Results: While no group differences emerged in the ability to judge the unacceptability of behavior, group differences emerged in the ability to match punishments to violations of socially appropriate behavior, in terms of the proposed punishment and the degree of severity. The punishments proposed by individuals with autism were more bizarre and more severe than those of typically developing children.  

Conclusions: Results revealed the ability to judge acceptability of social behavior in interactions in everyday situations was similar for individuals with autism and typical development. As a group the individuals with autism suggested punishments, which were not proportional to the transgression, often containing idiosyncratic or bizarre elements, suggesting impairment in their ability to understand the effect that punishment has on antecedent behaviors.