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ARC people   Dr John Lawson   Oxford Brooke's University   John's background is in Social Psychology. He studied at the University of Cambridge gaining a B.A. (honours) and M.A. He transferred to the department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge where he completed a PhD on entitled 'The Empathising-Systemising model of Autism Spectrum Conditions'. He is the Director of Studies for Social and Political Science at Girton College, Cambridge. He is Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Oxford Brookes University. His research is focused on five main areas: An examination of autism spectrum conditions (ASCs) in terms of the specific cognitive deficits and talents involved. An investigation of the 'extreme male brain' theory of autism; this model situates people with ASCs at the extreme end of a continuum that includes the general population. A critical exploration of how ASCs should be conceptualised. More specifically, whether a distinction made in the philosophy of science and critical realism, between open and closed systems, is the key factor in characterising the condition. How the male tendency towards a certain cognitive style (evidenced in Autism), combined with the historical dominance of men in western society has combined to shape societal values, norms and assumptions. An more specific examination of females in two contexts- a) how woman with ASCs differ in presentation from men with the condition, b) the characterisation of women at the far end of the spectrum; the 'extreme empathisers'. Several new tests have been devised to study these areas such as the Social Stories Questionnaire (SSQ), the Physical Prediction Questionnaire (PPQ) the Activities and Pastimes Questionnaire (APQ), the Thoughts and Feelings Questionnaire (TFQ) and the Moral Orientation Questionnaire (MOQ). Some results from these tasks are in print and others will be published shortly. He is currently writing a book entitled 'The Role of Autism in Shaping Society' which combines most of the research areas listed above.   Projects: Empathy in autism spectrum conditions Systemizing in autism spectrum conditions Email John Lawson Publications