What Makes the Detection of Movement Different Within the Autistic Traits Spectrum? Evidence From the Audiovisual Depth Paradigm

Poulain, Rachel; Batty, Magali; Cappe, Céline · 2023 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1163/22134808-bja10103

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Summary

This study investigates how multisensory integration (MSI) of dynamic depth cues varies across the autistic traits spectrum, addressing a gap in understanding how individuals with autistic characteristics process non-social, moving stimuli. While atypical sensory processing is a core feature of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), previous research has largely focused on static stimuli or complex social inputs. The authors aimed to determine if low-level MSI operates differently in individuals with high autistic traits using an ecological paradigm involving looming (approaching) and receding (distancing) movements, which carry significant social and safety implications. The researchers recruited 38 young adults from the general population, assessing their autistic traits using the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) and sensory profiles via the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (AASP). Participants were divided into high-AQ and low-AQ groups based on median scores. They performed a go/no-go detection task where they had to respond to dynamic auditory, visual, or audiovisual stimuli while ignoring static ones. Stimuli varied by modality, movement type (looming vs. receding), and speed (fast vs. slow). Audiovisual stimuli were congruent in movement and speed. Data were analyzed using generalized linear mixed-effects models for accuracy and reaction times (RTs), and Miller’s Race Model analysis to assess true multisensory facilitation. Results indicated that individuals with high autistic traits (AQ+) exhibited faster reaction times and higher accuracy in detecting depth movement compared to the low-AQ group. Specifically, the AQ+ group showed significantly faster RTs for audiovisual cues, particularly when stimuli were looming or presented at a fast speed. A significant interaction revealed that the AQ+ group was especially rapid in responding to fast, looming audiovisual stimuli compared to all other conditions and the low-AQ group. Accuracy was also higher in the AQ+ group, with a notable advantage in the audiovisual modality. Race model analysis confirmed that multisensory facilitation occurred, with the AQ+ group demonstrating stronger violations of the race model, indicating enhanced integration of auditory and visual inputs. These findings suggest that sensory particularities extend across the autistic personality spectrum, affecting low-level stages of multisensory integration. The heightened reactivity to looming and fast-moving audiovisual stimuli in individuals with high autistic traits may reflect a distinct processing style that prioritizes dynamic, potentially threatening, or socially relevant cues. This supports the dimensional model of ASD, indicating that sensory processing differences are not limited to clinical diagnoses but are present in the general population. The study highlights the importance of using dynamic, non-social stimuli to understand the foundational perceptual mechanisms underlying broader socio-communicative difficulties in autism.

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• multisensory crossmodal