Tizard Learning Disability Review Volume 14 Issue 3 July 2009 © Pavilion Journals (Brighton) Ltd 4 The empathising-systemising theory of autism: implications for education Feature Classic autism and Asperger’s Syndrome share three core diagnostic features: difficulties in social development difficulties in the development of communication unusually strong, narrow interests and repetitive behaviour (APA, 1994). Since communication is always social, it might be more fruitful to think of autism and Asperger’s Syndrome as sharing features in two broad areas: social-communication and narrow interests/repetitive actions. As for distinguishing features, a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome requires that the child spoke on time and has average IQ or above. Today the notion of an autistic spectrum is no longer defined by any sharp separation from ‘normality’ (Wing, 1997). This ‘normal’ distribution of autistic traits is evident in the results from the Autism Spectrum Quotient (or AQ) (Baron-Cohen et al , 2006, 2001c). In the general population, males score slightly (but statistically significantly) higher than females. Since autism spectrum conditions are far more common in males than in females (classic autism occurs in four males for every one female, and AS occurs in nine males for every one female) (Rutter, 1978), this may suggest that the number of autistic traits a person has is linked to a sex-linked biological factor – genetic or hormonal, or both (Baron-Cohen et al , 2005, 2004). The mindblindness theory Early work explored the theory that children with autism spectrum conditions are delayed in developing a theory of mind (ToM): the ability to put oneself into someone else’s shoes, to imagine their thoughts and feelings (Baron-Cohen, 1995; Baron-Cohen et al, 1985). When we mind-read or mentalise, we not only make sense of another person’s behaviour (Why did their head swivel on their neck? Why did their Abstract The education of children with autism spectrum conditions deserves a fresh look, for several reasons. First, it is unclear whether some approaches – such as applied behavioural analysis (ABA) – are simply shaping behaviour but not fundamentally leading to conceptual development. Second, it is ethically questionable whether educational methods depend on external reinforcement or reward or methods that are intrinsically rewarding would be preferable. Third, many educational approaches to autism have proceeded without a clear theoretical rationale. In this article, I summarise a new two-factor psychological theory of autism spectrum conditions, and present some examples of educational methods that are based on this theory, and that are intrinsically rewarding. I argue that such methods may be more autism-friendly. Key words XXXXXXXX Simon Baron-Cohen Autism Research Centre, Cambridge University