One week to go until our final lunchtime webinar for Autism Acceptance Month 2026!
On 27th April, 12 - 1pm, Emily 21andsensory and Dr Keren MacLennan will be talking about supporting Autistic sensory challenges and joys.
Register for the webinar here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1984954787...
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Their work highlights that autistic thinking is not “better” or “worse,” but often different in meaningful and valuable ways. Understanding these thinking styles can help create environments (at school, work, and beyond) that better support autistic strengths and reduce unnecessary stress.
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Their latest work suggests that intolerance of uncertainty may help explain why autistic people tend to favour more deliberate thinking. When the world feels uncertain, taking extra time to think things through can feel safer and more manageable.
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This difference can shape everyday decision‑making, problem‑solving, and even how people respond to social situations.
A recent line of research has focused on ‘intolerance of uncertainty’, which is how difficult it can feel when situations are unpredictable.
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This theory suggests that we all use two types of thinking: fast, intuitive reactions and slower, more deliberate reasoning. Their work shows that autistic individuals often rely more on careful, deliberate thinking and may use intuitive thinking less readily than non‑autistic people.
Illustration of a human head in profile with a stylized brain inside, accompanied by a glowing light bulb near the lower right. The text reads “Non-autistic intuition vs autistic deliberation,” suggesting a contrast between intuitive and deliberate thinking styles. The design uses soft neutral tones with purple outlines and simple, clean shapes.
✨ Research highlight ✨ (thread 1/5)
Researchers Mark Brosnan and Chris Ashwin at the University of Bath’s Centre for Applied Autism Research (CAAR) explore how autistic people think and make decisions using what’s known as the Dual Process Theory of Autism.
Join us in April for our World Autism Acceptance Month Lunchtime Webinar Series and hear all about the research we do! We have a fantastic line up of talks!
You can read more information about these webinars and book via this link: www.eventbrite.com/cc/autism-ac...
#autism #autistic #research
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We hope that others will also use this to ensure that more research involves co-production with the autism community.
You can access and download the Blueprint here: www.bath.ac.uk/publications...
#autism #research #psychology #workingtogether
A screenshot of the front page of the Blueprint for Autism Community Involvement in Research.
Our researchers are passionate about working with Autistic people and their families to co-produce research. To guide this, we created a Blueprint for Autism Community Involvement in Research. This was created in a collaboration between our researchers and the autism community.
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JPMorganChase Event - CV and Interview skills
Participants will hear from neurodivergent JPMorganChase employees, offering guidance and the opportunity to experience the office environment.
Thurs 2nd, October, 10:15am - 4:30pm
Bournemouth, BH7 7DA
Register interest: jpmc.recsolu.com/app/collect/...
@uniofbath.bsky.social
@psychologybath.bsky.social
💡 Takeaway:
Autistic people’s reasoning styles are shaped not just by traits, but also by how they respond to uncertainty.
IU plays a powerful role in fostering a more deliberative, careful approach to thinking.
Read the paper here: doi.org/10.1007/s108...
#autism #autistic #research
📌 The biggest driver?
A strong desire for predictability (known as prospective intolerance of uncertainty).
This shapes how autistic people approach decision-making & reasoning.
🔎 Previous research linked intolerance of uncertainty (IU) to higher anxiety in autistic people.
This study shows, for the first time, that IU is also tied to deliberative reasoning styles.
✨ Key finding:
Autistic people (and those with more autistic traits) are more likely to think carefully & deliberatively—and less likely to rely on intuition—compared to non-autistic people.
🧠 How does intolerance of uncertainty shape the way autistic people think & reason?
A new study with 500+ autistic & non-autistic people has some fascinating answers. 👇
Screen shot of the Slate website showing the article 'Ear protection is the new sunscreen' by Jessica Furseth. The image in the article is of a white man with short dark hair and a beard on a bus with headphones in.
![Screenshot of a quote from Keren MacLennan in the Slate article saying "The neurodivergent brain takes in a lot more information,” Keren MacLennan, a researcher with the Centre for Applied Autism Research at the University of Bath, U.K., whose work focuses on sensory experiences and inclusivity, told Slate. “With the inability to filter that, it just stacks and stacks, until the point [of] overwhelm.”](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:f64tif27qdwoojffi6sfx3eh/bafkreigsvnolti3pastjoskt6u52vmg4oalgc5ilg5ihwzze4u366afhem)
Screenshot of a quote from Keren MacLennan in the Slate article saying "The neurodivergent brain takes in a lot more information,” Keren MacLennan, a researcher with the Centre for Applied Autism Research at the University of Bath, U.K., whose work focuses on sensory experiences and inclusivity, told Slate. “With the inability to filter that, it just stacks and stacks, until the point [of] overwhelm.”
@kerenmaclennan.bsky.social from our centre was quoted in a recently published article by Jessica Furseth for Slate about the rise in use of ear protection.
You can read the full article here: slate.com/technology/2...
#autism #autistic #neurodivergent #neurodiversity #sensoryprocessing
Two photographs of Chris Packham speaking to a lecture room full of people, with text overlaid that says his name
Chris Packham recently visited the University of Bath to deliver a public lecture hosted by the Milner Centre for Evolution. During his visit, a few of our researchers were fortunate enough to meet with him and share all about the work we do. As we are huge fans of Chris' work, it was such an honour
Screen shot of the financial times article 'in search of a diagnosis' by Robert Wright.
Quote from the article: " Please use the sharing tools found via the share button at the top or side of articles. Copying articles to share with others is a breach of FT.com T&Cs and Copyright Policy. Email licensing@ft.com to buy additional rights. Subscribers may share up to 10 or 20 articles per month using the gift article service. More information can be found at https://www.ft.com/tour. https://www.ft.com/content/d1baecc6-438e-4846-a515-13592c4c74f4?accessToken=zwAGOoKKcALgkdPRuuzGQ45IRtOlFRNZLEx09A.MEQCICJ_R7Nxoz7SjxqEmNGhohaIho4flUIGZ4Af37h_EgdcAiBPJ6feOAgsr0HLp3BBoNhggpOyWtaANhHbL6Fp_B20sg&sharetype=gift&token=69390d9c-65ff-4c90-8b28-a075330d5cb2 The question is, what is driving this trend? Keren MacLennan, a researcher at the University of Bath, says that plenty of parents see the diagnostic criteria and have lightbulb moments like mine. “People’s children are getting diagnosed or end up seeing an educational psychologist, and people are saying, ‘That sounds like me.’”
@kerenmaclennan.bsky.social was interviewed by @financialtimes.com reporter Robert Wright for his article about his personal reflections after his son's autism diagnosis.
You can read the article here (paywalled): www.ft.com/content/d1ba...
Poster for the University Transition Autism School. Free online event on 4th September 2025, 13:30 - 3:30 pm.
The University Transition Autism School (UTAS) is designed to support Autistic students starting at any university in Autumn 2025. Hear from existing Autistic students and meet Autistic peers.
UTAS is free and online. Pre-register your interest in attending: www.bath.ac.uk/events/unive...
Are you #autistic and gave evidence in Magistrates or Crown Court (or supported an autistic person who did)?
Join CAAR online focus groups in summer 2025 to create resources for autistic court users and professionals.
Find out more: tinyurl.com/2hbmr5x5
Images of the House of Lords Autism Act 2009 committee with Dr Katie Maras, a white woman with blonde hair, and Professor Ailsa Russell, a white woman with dark brown hair, submitting spoken evidence
Professor Ailsa Russell and Dr Katie Maras from our Centre have contributed spoken evidence to the House or Lords Autism Act 2009 committee.
Alisa: parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...
Katie: parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...
#autism #autistic #policy
Photograph of Ralph Bagnall speaking to an attendee at the Vice-Chancellor's Engage Awards Showcase about the Centre for Applied Autism Research blueprint for co-production.
Ralph Bagnall from our Centre presented a poster on the CAAR Blueprint for co-producing research with the autism community at the @uniofbath.bsky.social Vice-Chancellor's Engage Awards Showcase.
Link to the Blueprint: www.bath.ac.uk/publications...
#autism #neurodiversity #research #coproduction
Our brand new paper, led by our incredible PhD student Emmie, has just been published: 'Neuro-Normative Epistemic Injustice – Consequences for the UK Education Crisis and School Anxiety'.
@bathcaar.bsky.social @psychologybath.bsky.social @uniofbath.bsky.social
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Pale red background with text that reads 'hello!' with the Centre for Applied Autism Research logo
Hello! We are the Centre for Applied Autism Research, based in @psychologybath.bsky.social at @uniofbath.bsky.social. Follow us to keep up to date about our news, research, and other exciting things we are up to!
#autism #autistic #research #university