Masculinity Levels and the ‘Extreme Male Brain’ in Asperger’s Syndrome Jennifer Barr & Kathryn Lucas

Rationale Studies show sex differences in the brain affect gender differences in Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) Extreme male brain emphasizes systemizing more than empathizing Literature does not go beyond Simon Baron- Cohen’s research suggesting a relationship between masculinity and AS tendencies

Goals Explore previous research on the extreme male brain in relation to AS –Collect and correlate data from participants based on levels of AS tendencies. –Collect and correlate data from participants based on levels of masculine/feminine tendencies. –Examine and explore significant differences between males and females. –Examine and explore significant differences between psychology and math courses. –Determine to what extent AS is related to masculinity index.

Funding and Resources Anticipated funding with Simon Baron- Cohen at the Autism Research Centre at Cambridge University Grants provided by the National Alliance for Autism Research (Princeton, NJ) Jennifer Barr and Kathryn Lucas, Principal Investigators 5 research assistants to supervise the online surveys and tabulate data

Sampling Procedures Participants recruited from the undergraduates at the University of Florida –Psychology courses –Higher division math courses Participants will be given a website to locate, which will link to a survey about masculinity and AS tendencies The survey should last about 30 minutes

Research Questions, Hypothesis, and Variables Are there differences between males and females in masculinity and AS tendencies? Are there differences between psychology and higher level math students in masculinity and AS tendencies? Are there additional factors that contribute to AS than just the extreme male brain?

Survey Questions Masculinity Scale –I seek out positions of authority. –When I see a new invention, I attempt to find out how it works. –I don’t care if my clothes are unstylish, as long as I like them. Femininity Scale –When I see a baby, I often ask to hold him. –I like to be with people who assume a protective attitude toward me. –I am usually the first to offer a helping hand when it is needed. *Items based on the PRF Andro Scales that assess masculinity and femininity.

Survey Questions Social Pragmatic Test –Do you have difficulty “reading” social cues? –Do your interests appear to be more intense than your peers? –Do you tend to impose routines or rituals on yourself or others? *Items based on Kowalski’s Social Pragmatic Test that assess AS tendencies

Data Analysis Techniques Correlations will be calculated to determine the existence of a relationship between the masculinity and AS tendencies –Pearson product moment correlation (r) –Surveys scored on a 3 point Likert Scale Low, medium, high levels of self reported masculinity and AS tendencies

Thank you! Any Questions?