IMITATION AND ACTION IN AUTISM - A CRITICAL-REVIEW

This article considers the evidence for an imitative deficit in autism and for the possible role of deficiencies in the representation of ac tions. An argument is developed for the claim that the imitation probl em is diagnostic of a basic information-processing rather than a socia l dysfunction. Reviews are offered of the empirical literature on gest ural imitation in autism (and other developmental disorders) and the m ore anecdotal evidence for problems in the domain of action developmen t in autism. An account that may help to integrate these areas is sugg ested, as are directions for future research.