Associations between cooperation, reactive aggression and social impairments among boys with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

Cooperation is a fundamental human ability that seems to be inversely related to aggressive behaviour in typical development. However, there is no knowledge whether similar association holds for children with autism spectrum disorder. A total of 27 boys with autism spectrum disorder and their gender, age and total score intelligence matched controls were studied in order to determine associations between cooperation, reactive aggression and autism spectrum disorder-related social impairments. The participants performed a modified version of the Prisoner's Dilemma task and the Pulkkinen Aggression Machine which measure dimensions of trust, trustworthiness and self-sacrifice in predisposition to cooperate, and inhibition of reactive aggression in the absence and presence of situational cues, respectively. Autism spectrum disorder severity-related Autism Diagnostic Interview-algorithm scores were ascertained by interviewing the parents of the participants with a semi-structured parental interview (Developmental, Dimensional and Diagnostic Interview). The results showed that albeit the boys with autism spectrum disorder were able to engage in reciprocation and cooperation regardless of their social impairments, their cooperativeness was positively associated with lower levels of reactive aggression and older age. Thus, strengthening inhibition mechanisms that regulate reactive aggression might make boys with autism spectrum disorder more likely to prefer mutual gain over self-interest in cooperation.

Differentially altered social dominance- and cooperative-like behaviors in Shank2- and Shank3-mutant mice

“…Deficits in these higher cognitive functions, particularly, empathy, are likely to lead to abnormalities in complex social behaviors, such as social competition and cooperation [ 6 , 7 ]. Indeed, major symptoms of high-functioning autism include empathic incapacity, reactive aggression and impaired complex social behaviors [ 8 , 9 ]. However, whether these behavioral features are recapitulated in ASD model animals has received limited research attention.…”

Strategic decision making and prediction differences in autism

“…The task represents the conflict between the optimum distribution of rewards (Pareto optimal) and the optimum choice for an individual (Nash equilibrium) ( Apt & Grädel, 2011 ) It is considered an analogue of social interaction and as such it has been used a lot in autism research where social behaviour and interactions are key characteristics of the disorder. Findings concerning the PD task in autism, indicate that, cooperation could improves with age ( Jin et al, 2020 ; Kaartinen et al, 2019 ) and the development of executive functions ( Li, Zhu & Gummerum, 2014 ) and that reputation ( Maurer et al, 2018 ) and the nature of the opponent (actual human or machine) could also influence cooperation. These factors are important for both autistic ( Sally & Hill, 2006 ) and non autistic individuals ( Mienaltowski & Wichman, 2020 ; Milinski & Wedekind, 1998 ; Wang et al, 2012 ).…”

Social and executive functioning in individuals with autism spectrum disorder without intellectual disability: The case–control study protocol of the CNeSA study

“…To date, published studies on the neuropsychological functioning of ASD show contrasting results due to methods issued without providing exhaustive answers in explaining the neuropsychological dysfunctions in the ASD population. Studies on social decision-making as cooperation indicated lower correct predictions of others' moves compared with TDCs (81) and an improvement of this ability with age (82,83). Moreover, for individuals with ASD, their cooperation relies on more rigid criteria that does not differ depending on the morality of the interacting partner (84).…”