The apple of my (mind�s) eye: Exploring the relationship among autistic traits and cognitive introspection patterns
Medeiros, Stasha
Medeiros, Stasha
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Abstract
There is a commonly held assumption that people are either �visual" or �verbal� thinkers (e.g., Warford, 2018; Grandin, 1995; �ncel, 2024). Autistic individuals especially are often characterized as �visual thinkers� (e.g., Rozema, 2015; Gately, 2008; Styslinger, 2012; Quill, 1995; 1997); a generalization that has led to visual stimuli being preferred for cognitive assessments, interventions, and educational supports in this population (Coderre, 2020). The objective of the present study was to explore whether an association exists among autistic traits and participant thinking styles. We recruited 73 adults with varying levels of autistic traits. In a discussion-based format using a semi-structured approach, participants were administered an open-ended verbal prompt regarding thinking styles. To analyze the data, a team of four completed a reflexive thematic analysis (TA; Braun & Clarke, 2021). The sample was then divided into 1/3rd percentiles based on AQ score data to create three AQ groups (i.e., low, middle, and high), and the same TA approach was used to analyze responses in each group. Our analysis revealed three main themes: (1) when participants were describing abstract or nebulous concepts, they reported more verbal thinking patterns and attempted to articulate the experience of a mind�s eye; (2) participants associated visual thinking and imagining with learning and memory; and (3) there was a relative consensus across interviews that task demands and contexts can influence which modality is elicited. Each theme was distributed relatively equally across AQ groups, suggesting that negligible differences exist across varying levels of autistic traits. ? Despite the assumption that autistic individuals may favor a visual thinking style, there is insufficient evidence from this study to suggest that visual thinking is characteristic of autism. Our findings suggest that both individual capacities and the format of stimuli presentation should be considered when working with individuals across the spectrum.
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Date
1/1/2026
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Graduate Student
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Poster
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Interprofessional Health Sciences
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College of Nursing and Health Sciences
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Social Science