2022
Attention to audiovisual speech does not facilitate language acquisition in infants with familial history of autism
Chawarska K, Lewkowicz D, Feiner H, Macari S, Vernetti A. Attention to audiovisual speech does not facilitate language acquisition in infants with familial history of autism. Journal Of Child Psychology And Psychiatry 2022, 63: 1466-1476. PMID: 35244219, DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13595.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsExpressive language scoresLanguage outcomesAudiovisual cuesSpeaker's faceLanguage scoresLanguage acquisitionLanguage delayBetter language outcomesSiblings of childrenFamilial riskLow familial riskPoor language outcomesLow-risk infantsAudiovisual speechIntact attentionSpeech cuesHigh familial riskPromising endophenotypeASD diagnosisSpeech processingCuesHigh-risk infantsAutismASDFace
2021
Puppets facilitate attention to social cues in children with ASD
Macari S, Chen X, Brunissen L, Yhang E, Brennan‐Wydra E, Vernetti A, Volkmar F, Chang J, Chawarska K. Puppets facilitate attention to social cues in children with ASD. Autism Research 2021, 14: 1975-1985. PMID: 34350712, PMCID: PMC8434944, DOI: 10.1002/aur.2552.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAutism spectrum disorderVisual attentionAutism severityTD controlsSpeaker's faceYoung childrenSocial-communicative cuesSpeakers’ preferencesHigher autism severityAttention of childrenFunction of groupASD groupSocial cuesSpectrum disorderVisual preferenceHuman speakersSocial partnersSocial interactionSpeaker identityPuppetCuesChildrenEarly characteristicsReciprocal interactionsFace
2017
Gaze-contingent reinforcement learning reveals incentive value of social signals in young children and adults
Vernetti A, Smith TJ, Senju A. Gaze-contingent reinforcement learning reveals incentive value of social signals in young children and adults. Proceedings Of The Royal Society B 2017, 284: 20162747. PMID: 28250186, PMCID: PMC5360925, DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.2747.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCue-reward associationsReward-predictive cuesSocial orientingVisual attentionSocial cuesReward deliveryVisual cuesIncentive valuePositive incentive valueParticipants' visual attentionReinforcement learningVisual orientingPreferential orientingSocial stimuliRewarding outcomesSocial signalsOrientingCuesPositive outcomesYoung childrenSpontaneous indicationsLearningChildrenAdultsReal life