Anomalous Perception Of Biological Motion In Autism: A Conceptual Review And Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Despite its popularity, the construct of biological motion (BM) and its putative anomalies in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are not completely clarified. Here, we propose a new model describing distinct levels of BM processing, and we present a meta-analysis investigating BM perception in ASD. We screened 114 articles testing BM perception in ASD and typical developing peers. A general meta-analysis including all the selected studies (N=27) showed BM processing moderate deficit in ASD, but high heterogeneity. This heterogeneity was explored in different additional meta-analyses where studies were grouped according to different levels of BM processing (first-order/direct/instrumental) and the manipulation of low-level perceptual features (spatial/temporal). Results suggest that the most severe deficit in ASD is evident when perception of BM is serving a secondary purpose (e.g., inferring intentionality/action/emotion) and, interestingly, that temporal dynamics could be an important factor in determining BM processing anomalies in ASD. In conclusion, this work questions the traditional understanding of BM anomalies in ASD and claims for a paradigm shift that deconstructs BM into distinct levels of processing and specific spatio-temporal subcomponents. Public Significance statementSince the seminal study by Johansson (1973), the construct of "biological motion" (BM) has gained a considerable success in a wide range of disciplines. In particular, BM processing has been considered a putative marker for social difficulties in neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Our work aims to quantitatively test the solidity of this view through a meta-analytic approach and also to better define anomalies in BM perception according to distinct levels of complexity and specific spatio-temporal features. Interestingly, we do it by challenging the traditional approach to the conception of BM. This novel conceptualization has intriguing clinical and theoretical insights.