Superior perceptual capacity is specific to autistic cognition

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Davies, J., Brinkert, J., Irvine, B., Elise, F., Farran, E. K., Milne, E., Scerif, G., & Remington, A. (2026). Superior perceptual capacity is specific to autistic cognition. Acta Psychologica, 267, 107088. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.107088

Publication date: 19 May 2026 Added to AutiHub: 12 Sep 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
8
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 8 (12.5%)
  1. Jade Davies
  2. Jana Brinkert
  3. Brian Irvine
  4. Freya Elise *
  1. Emily K. Farran
  2. Elizabeth Milne
  3. Gaia Scerif
  4. Anna Remington

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To systematically measure perceptual capacity for autistic, ADHD, autistic people with ADHD (AuDHD), and neurotypical adult populations, and to examine whether increased perceptual capacity represents a specific feature of autism or extends to other neurodivergent groups. METHODS: UK-based adults (n = 270: 69 autistic, 66 ADHD, 65 AuDHD, and 70 neurotypical), aged 18 to 40 years of age, took part in an online, computer-based perceptual capacity paradigm. Participants performed a target detection task with various levels of perceptual load (set size) and distractor congruency. RESULTS: Pre-registered Analysis of Variance and Generalized Linear Models/Linear Mixed-Effects Models indicated a significant group by set size interaction for reaction time. This was driven by a plateau in reaction time from set size 4 for the neurotypical group. There were no significant main effects of group for accuracy or reaction time. Exploratory analyses showed autistic participants demonstrated significantly stronger congruency effect (greater slowing from incongruent distractors) at moderate load levels than neurotypical participants, with a similar trend for those with AuDHD, but not ADHD. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that increased perceptual capacity might be a unique aspect of autistic cognition. This offers important insight into the differing cognitive underpinnings that may give rise to attentional challenges experienced by autistic people and those with ADHD and consequently, alternative recommendations regarding individualised approaches to support.

Bibliography cited by this reference

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Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 12 Sep 2026 17:34.

Cited references
41
With a DOI
34
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
6
3 / 41 (7.3%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
0 / 41 (0.0%)
References with detected author names
41 / 41 (100.0%)
Without detected author names
0
Without a structured title
0
Without a stable identifier
6
References with raw author names still to review
0
References with external metadata lookup issues
0
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
181
From DOI or external metadata
181
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
0
43 / 181 (23.8%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 138 / 181 (76.2%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
4 / 181 (2.2%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 4 / 43 (9.3%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 3 / 161 (1.9%).
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