1. Social Thinking: Cognition to Enhance Communication and Learning
by Michelle Garcia-Winner
Chapter 9

2. Social Learning
For individuals with ASDs, social learning is a cognitive, rather than intuitive experience
Teaching social skills should be one of the primary goals for any treatment program for students with ASDs

3. Social Algebra
The scope and complexity of social skills rivals the most complicated science
An individual must determine how to use body, eyes, facial expression, words, etc.
At the right time
In the right place
All in synchrony

4. What are good social skills?
How well we follow the hidden social rules of the environment
Adjusting our behavior to help people around us to have “normal” or “good” thoughts about us, regardless of whether or not we’re interacting with them

5. For example …
What are the unwritten social rules of riding an elevator?
Can you think of anything you might do when you’re alone on an elevator that would be unacceptable if you’re riding with other people?

6. Taking Perspective
Thinking about the others around you and then regulating your behavior around the group’s needs = taking perspective of the others around you
Others may not react when you do it well, but they definitely react when you don’t

7. Four Steps of Perspective Taking
When you come into my space, I have a little thought about you, and you have a little thought about me.

8. Four Steps of Perspective Taking
I wonder:
Why are you near me?
What is your purpose for being near me?
Is it because you are just sharing the space?
Or do you intend to talk to me?
Or do you intend to harm me?”
I have to consider all these things in order to keep myself safe around other people, as well as to predict what will happen next.

9. Four Steps of Perspective Taking
Since we have thoughts about each other, I wonder what you are thinking about me?

10. Four Steps of Perspective Taking
4. To keep you thinking about me the way I would like you to, I monitor and possibly modify my behavior.

11. Different Challenges in Perspective Taking
Students with classical autism have difficulty with Step 1--Realizing that others are having thoughts about them and that they should be forming thoughts about those around them

12. Different Challenges in Perspective Taking
Students with Asperger Syndrome may know the rules for the environment and get upset when anyone else violates them.
They may not recognize that others have very strong expectations of them as well.

13. How Social Cognition Evolves in Neurotypical Children
Joint Attention
(90% of infants who don’t develop joint attention by 12 mos. are later diagnosed with an ASD)
2. Early Symbolic Communication (pointing with index finger to communicate interest to another person)

14. How Social Cognition Evolves
Imitation of Other’s Movements
Parallel Play
Cooperative Play (language typically evolves simultaneously)

15. How Social Cognition Evolves
6. Complex Interactions (by age 4)
Anticipate actions of others
Read others’ thoughts and emotions
Initiate language to share thoughts and ideas about the world

16. How Social Cognition Evolves
By age 6, learning that others may lie, cheat, or steal to get what they want
Becoming more sophisticated at trying to “read” others’ intentions

17. Importance of Social Competence
Social competence in early elementary years is positively correlated with higher levels of functioning in school and adult life
Those who are “academic stars” at a young age, but don’t develop good social skills typically are not as successful as adults
Common pattern w/ Asperger Syndrome

18. ILAUGH Model of Social Cognition
Designed to help us understand the social communication challenges in ASDs

19. ILAUGH Model of Social Cognition
I = Initiation of Language
The ability to use one’s language and communication skills to seek assistance or information
Even students who talk a lot (to share their own thoughts) may not be able to use their words to communicate when they don’t know the answer

20. ILAUGH Model of Social Cognition
L = Listening with Eyes and Brain
Listening requires not just auditory comprehension (already a weak point), but also “active listening” or “whole-body listening”
Integrating information you see with what you hear, in order to understand the deeper concept of the message, or
Making an educated guess about what is being said when you cannot clearly hear it

21. ILAUGH Model of Social Cognition
A = Abstract and Inferential Language/Communication
Sometimes, in order to comprehend the message being communicated, you must analyze not just the words, but:
The context in which they are used
Subtle verbal and nonverbal cues given by the speaker

22. ILAUGH Model of Social Cognition
U = Understanding Perspective
The ability to understand others’
emotions
thoughts and beliefs
prior experiences
shared knowledge
motives
intentions
personalities

23. ILAUGH Model of Social Cognition
G = Gestalt Processing/Getting the Big Picture
Information is conveyed through concepts, not just a collection of facts
Key to understanding social and academic information
Root of problems with executive function

24. ILAUGH Model of Social Cognition
H = Humor
Many students with ASDs have good sense of humor, but anxiety causes them to miss subtle social cues that help them interact more successfully
Use humor and compassion to help minimize their anxiety
If student uses humor inappropriately, you may need to teach direct lessons on this topic

25. Teaching “Social Skills” vs. “Social Thinking and Related Skills”
In teaching social skills, we teach a student what to do in a given situation, then reinforce that behavior
In teaching social thinking and related skills, we teach the student how people think in different situations, plus what social behaviors are expected, based on that teaching

26. Choose the Best Intervention for the Individual
Students w/ ASDs may share some common characteristics, but also can vary greatly in their strengths and challenges
No single intervention works for all students
Base choice of intervention on individual student’s needs
We can give some general guidelines

27. Intervention for Students with Classical or Moderate Autism
Students with autism + intellectual disability, without strong language skills, need:
A functional communication system that will allow them to communicate wants, needs, and emotions
Visual supports

28. Intervention for Students with Classical or Moderate Autism
Clearly listed expectations using pictures and/or words (as appropriate)
Expectations that are consistent and adhered to
Positive praise and reinforcement
Functional academic lessons that the student can use across environments

29. Intervention for Students with HFA
Students who use immature language structures or unsophisticated communication skills also likely have limitations in their ability to predict others’ motives, thoughts, and emotions
They will benefit from an intensive program that includes many aspects of the training for students with classical to moderate autism, plus:
Instruction in abstract language
Structured activities broken down into doable chunks
Concrete, explicit lessons of clear expectations consistently applied in a positive environment
Low-stress academic lessons

30. Intervention for Students with HFA
Lessons about social thinking can be introduced slowly
Expect lessons to move slowly and probably not be “mastered”

31. Intervention for Asperger Syndrome & PDD-NOS
Students with ASDs and strong cognitive and language skills typically have trouble with:
Group projects
Social interactions
Written expression
Social literature
Work they see as “pointless” (because they have difficulty understanding teacher’s motives in assigning it)

32. Intervention for Asperger Syndrome & PDD-NOS
Students with high cognitive and language skills benefit most from cognitive behavior intervention
Including direct teaching about social cognition

33. Cognitive Behavior Strategies
Strategies that teach the student to think more deeply about the concept being explored and to adapt his behavior to the situation
Metacognition = the ability to “think about thinking”

34. The Problem of Generalization
Many students w/ ASDs tend to learn to use a specific skill in the environment where it is taught, but fail to generalize it to similar contexts or settings

35. Advantage of Cognitive Behavior Strategies
Teaching students through suggestion, explanation, and reasoning fosters better generalization than use of coercive controls such as external rewards and punishments

36. 4 Steps of Communication
Social thinking model that teaches that interpersonal communication unfolds in a highly predictable manner

37. 4 Steps of Communication
In order to speak to someone in person, you must
Think about them, and what they are thinking about you
Establish a physical presence
Stand close (usually about an arm’s length away) with your shoulders turned towards the person, which communicates your intent to talk to them

38. 4 Steps of Communication
3. Use your eyes to think about them
Looking them in the eye signals to them that you want to communicate
They acknowledge that they know you want to communicate by making eye contact with you
Use language to relate to them
Relating means not just “downloading” your information to them, but regulating your language to meet the other person’s needs

39. Conclusions
Our ability to use social skills with nuance and sophistication depends heavily upon our social thinking/cognition
The functioning level of the person on the autism spectrum largely determines the level of social cognition he can access

40. Conclusions
We can help facilitate the social thinking and related skills for all students with ASDs; the best approach depends on the student’s functional level.