The execution of arbitrary procedures by children with autism

Executive tasks typically contain a prepotent lure. In addition, they requi re individuals either to (a) follow arbitrary procedures or (b) update thei r model of the physical world. Recent research suggests that children with autism may be challenged only by executive tasks of the former kind (contai ning arbitrary rules). We asked whether this continues to be true when ther e is no prepotent lure, comparing performance on (a) a task with arbitrarin ess but without prepotency with (b) a task with both features and (c) a tas k with neither. The participants with autism performed at a lower level tha n comparison groups on the first and second task but not on the third task. This outcome is consistent with the view that autism is associated with di fficulties in following arbitrary procedures per se. We try to locate diffi culties with acting on the basis arbitrary rules in relation to more mainst ream ideas about autistic executive dysfunction.