Examining the (a)typical development of multisensory processing

Research overview

Autistic people often experience sensory information differently, which can affect comfort in everyday and social situations. Studying how sensory information is integrated in autism can therefore help us understand these experiences throughout development.

One important part of this is the space immediately surrounding our bodies. In this space, we are especially sensitive to things that come towards us, helping us react quickly to potential opportunities or dangers. Research shows that even infants are more responsive to objects moving toward them than away from them. However, we still know very little about how this develops for autistic people.

Our first study explores how 12-month-old babies process information from sight and touch that happens near their bodies. We compare infants with a higher or lower likelihood of autism based on family history, to better understand early differences in sensory experiences.

We are also interested in social space, that is the distance people prefer to keep between themselves and others during interactions. This space shapes how comfortable we feel around other people. In our second study, we examine how sights and sounds influence these distance preferences, and how autistic traits, and social anxiety traits may play a role.

Together, these studies aim to build a clearer, more inclusive picture of how sensory and social experiences develop across the lifespan.