Uta Frith
Encyclopedia
Uta Frith FRS
FBA
(born May 25, 1941) is a leading developmental psychologist working at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London
. She has pioneered much of the current research in autism
and dyslexia
, and has written several books on these issues. Her book 'Autism: Explaining the Enigma' provides an introduction to the cognitive neuroscience
of autism. She has been influential on the work of Simon Baron-Cohen
and Tony Attwood
, both of whom worked under her as PhD students.
. Her birth name was Uta Aurnhammer. She completed her undergraduate degree in History of Art at the Universität des Saarlandes, Saarbrücken
but then changed direction to work in Psychology. She trained in clinical psychology
at the Institute of Psychiatry
, King's College London
and went on to complete her Ph.D. on autism in 1968.
who was a PhD student with Frith at the time.
She has also suggested that individuals with autism have 'weak central coherence
', and are better than typical individuals at processing details but worse at integrating information from many different sources.
Frith has also commented favorably—and with a certain amount of awe—regarding the work of Temple Grandin
, PhD on National Public Radio's Independent Minds: Temple Grandin, broadcast January 14, 2010. Grandin is a well-known austistic who developed the Squeeze or Hug Machine to calm autistic persons experiencing high anxiety and panic attacks.
, a Fellow of the British Academy
, a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences
and an Honorary Fellow of Newnham College, Cambridge.
Her husband Chris Frith
is also a leading neuroscientist
.
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
FBA
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
(born May 25, 1941) is a leading developmental psychologist working at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
. She has pioneered much of the current research in autism
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
and dyslexia
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a very broad term defining a learning disability that impairs a person's fluency or comprehension accuracy in being able to read, and which can manifest itself as a difficulty with phonological awareness, phonological decoding, orthographic coding, auditory short-term memory, or rapid...
, and has written several books on these issues. Her book 'Autism: Explaining the Enigma' provides an introduction to the cognitive neuroscience
Cognitive neuroscience
Cognitive neuroscience is an academic field concerned with the scientific study of biological substrates underlying cognition, with a specific focus on the neural substrates of mental processes. It addresses the questions of how psychological/cognitive functions are produced by the brain...
of autism. She has been influential on the work of Simon Baron-Cohen
Simon Baron-Cohen
Simon Baron-Cohen FBA is professor of Developmental Psychopathology in the Departments of Psychiatry and Experimental Psychology at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. He is the Director of the University's Autism Research Centre, and a Fellow of Trinity College...
and Tony Attwood
Tony Attwood
Tony Attwood is an English psychologist who lives in Queensland, Australia and is an author of several books on Asperger's Syndrome....
, both of whom worked under her as PhD students.
Birth and education
Uta Frith was born on 25 May 1941 in GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Her birth name was Uta Aurnhammer. She completed her undergraduate degree in History of Art at the Universität des Saarlandes, Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken is the capital of the state of Saarland in Germany. The city is situated at the heart of a metropolitan area that borders on the west on Dillingen and to the north-east on Neunkirchen, where most of the people of the Saarland live....
but then changed direction to work in Psychology. She trained in clinical psychology
Clinical psychology
Clinical psychology is an integration of science, theory and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development...
at the Institute of Psychiatry
Institute of Psychiatry
The Institute of Psychiatry is a research institution dedicated to discovering what causes mental illness and diseases of the brain. In addition, its aim is to help identify new treatments for them and ways to prevent them in the first place...
, King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
and went on to complete her Ph.D. on autism in 1968.
Work on autism
Frith's work initiated the current representation of a theory of mind deficit in autism. Her paper Does the autistic child have a 'theory of mind'? proposes that people with autism have specific difficulties understanding other people's beliefs and desires. This study was conducted with Alan Leslie and Simon Baron-CohenSimon Baron-Cohen
Simon Baron-Cohen FBA is professor of Developmental Psychopathology in the Departments of Psychiatry and Experimental Psychology at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. He is the Director of the University's Autism Research Centre, and a Fellow of Trinity College...
who was a PhD student with Frith at the time.
She has also suggested that individuals with autism have 'weak central coherence
Weak central coherence theory
The weak central coherence theory , also called the central coherence theory , suggests that a specific perceptual-cognitive style, loosely described as a limited ability to understand context or to "see the big picture", underlies the central disturbance in autism and related autism spectrum...
', and are better than typical individuals at processing details but worse at integrating information from many different sources.
Frith has also commented favorably—and with a certain amount of awe—regarding the work of Temple Grandin
Temple Grandin
Temple Grandin is an American doctor of animal science and professor at Colorado State University, bestselling author, and consultant to the livestock industry on animal behavior...
, PhD on National Public Radio's Independent Minds: Temple Grandin, broadcast January 14, 2010. Grandin is a well-known austistic who developed the Squeeze or Hug Machine to calm autistic persons experiencing high anxiety and panic attacks.
Personal life
Professor Frith is a Fellow of the Royal SocietyRoyal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, a Fellow of the British Academy
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
, a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences
Academy of Medical Sciences
The Academy of Medical Sciences is the United Kingdom's national academy of medical sciences. It was established in 1998 on the recommendation of a group that was chaired by Michael Atiyah. Its president is John Irving Bell....
and an Honorary Fellow of Newnham College, Cambridge.
Her husband Chris Frith
Chris Frith
Christopher Donald Frith is professor emeritus at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging at University College London and a Niels Bohr Visiting Professor at Aarhus University, Denmark...
is also a leading neuroscientist
Neuroscientist
A neuroscientist is an individual who studies the scientific field of neuroscience or any of its related sub-fields...
.
Publications
Dr. Frith's published works include:- Autism: Explaining the Enigma, Oxford, Blackwell Publishing 2003 ISBN 06-31-22901-9
- Autism – Mind and Brain, Oxford, Oxford University Press 2004 ISBN 01-98-52924-4
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press 1991 ISBN 05-21-38608-X
- The Learning Brain: Lessons for Education (with Sarah-Jayne Blakemore), Oxford, Blackwell Publishing 2005 ISBN 14-05-12401-6
- Urville (with Gilles TrehinGilles TrehinGilles Tréhin is a French artist, author, and creator of the imaginary city of "Urville". His book, also titled Urville, is based on his writings of the fictional city's history, geography, culture, and economy, and includes over 300 drawings of different districts of Urville, all done by...
), London, Jessica Kingsley Publishers 2006 ISBN 18-43-10419-9 - Cognitive Processes in Spelling, London, Academic Press 1983 ISBN 01-22-68662-4
- Autism in History: The Case of Hugh Blair of Borgue (with Rab Houston), Oxford, Blackwell Publishing 2000 ISBN 06-31-22088-7
- " Autism: A very short Introduction", Oxford, OUP 2008, ISBN 978–0–19–920756–5. This is available for reading for free online, or a free download (create a user profile), via http://www.scribd.com/doc/13995985/Autism-A-Very-Short-Introduction.