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Embodied and disembodied processing of emotional expressions: Insights from autism spectrum disorders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 December 2010

Piotr Winkielman
Piotr Winkielman
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0109; and Department of Psychology, Warsaw School of Social Sciences and Humanities, 03-815 Warszawa, Poland. pwinkiel@ucsd.eduhttp://psy.ucsd.edu/~pwinkiel
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Abstract

Processing of facial expressions goes beyond simple pattern recognition. To elucidate this problem, Niedenthal et al. offer a model that identifies multiple embodied and disembodied routes for expression processing, and spell out conditions triggering use of different routes. I elaborate on this model by discussing recent research on emotional recognition in individuals with autism, who can use multiple routes of emotion processing, and consequently can show atypical and typical patterns of embodied simulation and mimicry.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 33 , Issue 6 , December 2010 , pp. 463 - 464
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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