Is performance with embedded figures linked to degree of local bias in individuals with ASD?

Summary: Many studies have found that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) outperform neurotypical individuals on the Embedded Figures Test (EFT) (Witkin, 1971) where one has to detect a target that constitutes a part of a more complex whole. Given that individuals with ASD have also been found to exhibit a local processing bias in other tasks, for example in Navon’s paradigm (Van der Hallen, Evers, Brewaeys, Van den Noortgate, & Wagemans, 2015), it has been hypothesized that these findings may be related (Frith & Happe, 1994; Mottron, Burack, Iarocci, Belleville, & Enns, 2003). Yet, a direct link between performance on the EFT and Navon’s paradigm has not been found (Chamberlain, Van der Hallen, Huygelier, Van de Cruys, & Wagemans, 2017; Huygelier, Van der Hallen, Wagemans, de-Wit, & Chamberlain, 2018; Milne & Szczerbinski, 2009). One reason for this might be that the link thus far has only been tested in neurotypicals and not in an ASD population. Hence, the objective in the present study is to see if a relationship between performance in the EFT and in Navon’s paradigm can be found in individuals with ASD.