Social perception and cognition in autism

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by social communication differences and repetitive behaviors. Recently, autism research has shifted to reflect the need for individualized, ecologically valid models of social cognition difficulties. This Special Issue brings together innovative studies exploring how autistic individuals perceive and respond to social interactions, using a broad range of methodological approaches including psychophysical experiments, neuroimaging and behavioral measures. Emerging themes include differential processing in individuals on the spectrum in social cognition, social perception, eye contact, emotion regulation/arousal, and interpersonal synchrony. The collection also introduces novel translational approaches, such as using motion synchrony during diagnostic interviews and characterizing individual motor-sensory profiles. Together, the articles in the Special Issue reflect a paradigm shift in autism research from the previous more static views of social difficulties and moving toward a nuanced understanding of heterogeneity, compensation and adaptive potential. This body of work underscores the value of precision approaches to improve social cognition and lays the foundation for inclusive, strengths-based interventions.