Week 4

According to Gil Eyal, what is a more fruitful approach to understanding the increasing prevalence of autism diagnoses?

• Investigating environmental toxins

• Studying the genetic components of autism

• Asking why autism was rare in the past

• Comparing diagnostic criteria across different countries

What is meant by the term "dynamic nominalism" in the context of autism?

• Autism is a fixed and unchanging medical condition.

• Autism is a classification that changes through the actions of those classified and institutional arrangements

• Autism is purely a social construct with no biological basis.

• Autism is a completely understood and defined natural kind.

According to the sources, what was a significant reason for the increase in autism diagnoses?

• A real increase due to environmental toxicity.

• The blurring of boundaries between experts and laypeople, especially parents

• The discovery of new genetic markers for autism.

• Changes in diagnostic tools.

How did parent involvement alter the diagnostic process of autism?

• Parents became less involved in the diagnostic process.

• The diagnosis was no longer solely attributed to the clinician, but became a collaborative effort with parents

• Parents began to diagnose their children themselves, without consulting clinicians.

• Parental reports were ignored by clinicians due to bias.

What was a key innovation introduced by Bernard Rimland in the treatment of autism?

• Institutionalization of autistic children

• The use of medication to manage symptoms.

• The inclusion of behavioral therapists and the use of ABA

• The development of new diagnostic criteria.

What is Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)?

• A therapy that focuses on the emotional well-being of the child.

• A diagnostic tool used to identify autism spectrum disorder.

• A behavior modification therapy that emphasizes rewards for desired behaviors

• A therapy focused on medication and hospitalization.

What is the "Extreme Male Brain" theory in the context of autism?

• Autism only affects males.

• Autism is caused by an excess of male hormones in the womb.

• People with autism, regardless of gender, display an emphasis on systemizing over empathizing

• Autistic brains show similar patterns regardless of gender.

What is the main idea behind "person-first" language?

• It emphasizes the disability over the person

• It is used by people who do not have a disability

• It focuses on the individual before the disability

• It suggests the person is defined by their disability.

What do some autistic self-advocates say about their brains?

• They want to change how their brain works to be more like neurotypical people.

• They view their brain as a deficit, something that needs to be fixed

• They value how their brain works and do not view it as inferior

• They believe that neuroscience is a pseudoscience.

According to the sources, what is a possible effect of environmental factors on gene expression in the context of autism?

• Environmental factors have no impact on gene expression.

• Environmental exposures can turn certain genes "on" or "off," disrupting brain development

• Environmental factors only affect people who have a genetic predisposition to autism.

• Genetic factors cannot be modified.