central coherence theory

a theory proposing that human beings have an inherent drive to form coherent wholes by integrating pieces of relevant information. Most people tend to process incoming stimuli in context in order to derive a meaningful gist of the situation, often at the expense of surface details. By contrast, individuals with autism spectrum disorder exhibit a tendency toward weak central coherence, which results in an overreliance on local or piecemeal processing and a failure to integrate information in order to process stimuli in context. Also called weak central coherence theory. [proposed in 1989 by German-born British psychologist Uta Frith (1941– )]

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Psychology term of the day

March 17th 2025

moving-window technique

in studies of reading, an experimental technique in which the words on a page are covered up except for a limited number that can be viewed through a “window,” which moves forward through the text at a set rate.