Matthew Belmonte
| Matthew Belmonte | |
|---|---|
| Born | Matthew Belmonte |
| Nationality | American |
| Fields | Psychology |
| Institutions | Nottingham Trent University |
| Known for | The Com DEALL Trust |
|
Website Official website | |
| Autism rights movement |
|---|
Matthew Belmonte is a professor of psychology at Nottingham Trent University who researches the behavior and neurophysiology of autistic individuals.[1] He has studied the behavioral aspects of autism by providing subjects with videogames that measure several perceptual properties.[2] Belmonte has received a $700,000 National Science Foundation grant to study this aspect, and uses MRI and EEG technology to measure brain activity of autistic and non-autistic individuals. He has an older brother with autism, and both have a fascination with order and regularity.[3] In his essay 'Life Without Order: Literature, Psychology, and Autism', Belmonte stated that he was inspired to pursue a career in science because of his need for a single right answer.[4]
Belmonte stated that repetitive behaviors of autistic people are usually associated with nonsocial phenomena as a protection against chaos, claiming that weakened neural connectivity interferes with narrative linkage.[5] Specifically, weakened connections are in the areas of perception, attention, and memory.[6][7] He has claimed that being a scientist and being autistic are both "compulsions to order", but the thought processes of a scientist are more abstract than thought processes of an autistic.[8] He has written that the autistic mind is more at ease with an orderly environment, where the expectations are known in advance.[9]
He has criticized the neurodiversity movement, stating that it is a "dangerous distraction" that could interfere with parents' search for help.[10]
References
- ↑ "Matthew Belmonte Nottingham Trent University". www.ntu.ac.uk. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
- ↑ Gold, Lauren. "Belmonte uses video games to explore facets of autism | Cornell Chronicle". Cornell Chronicle. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
- ↑ Kernis, Jay. "Intriguing people for January 29, 2010 - CNN.com". CNN. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
- ↑ Jacobs, Barbara (2003). Loving Mr. Spock : understanding an aloof lover. Arlington, Tex.: Future Horizons. ISBN 9781932565201.
- ↑ Quayson, Ato (2007). Aesthetic nervousness disability and the crisis of representation. New York: Columbia University Press. p. 156. ISBN 0231511175.
- ↑ Wexler, Alice. Autism in a Decentered World. Psychology Press. p. 37. ISBN 9781317594338. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
- ↑ Osteen, Mark. Autism and Representation. Routledge. ISBN 9781135911485. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
- ↑ Cowen, Tyler (2010). The age of the infovore succeeding in the information economy. New York: Plume. ISBN 1101432993. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
- ↑ Cumberland, edited by Debra; Mills, Bruce (2010). Siblings and Autism Stories Spanning Generations and Cultures. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. ISBN 9780857002952. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
- ↑ Quart, Alissa (2013). Republic of outsiders the power of amateurs, dreamers, and rebels. New York: New Press, The. ISBN 1595588949. Retrieved 19 October 2016.