The Psychology of Music and Autism

This book considers the cognitive, behavioural and socio-emotional aspects of autism in relation to music perception, musical engagement and music production. Musicality is considered from an evolutionary perspective and in relation to psychological models of autism. In drawing together literature on autism and music neuroscience with original case studies from musicians with autism, the book seeks to broaden our understanding of typical and atypical musical experience and sets a new agenda for multi-disciplinary research in this area. It provides a unique resource that will appeal to students and scholars of Autism Spectrum Disorder, neurodevelopmental conditions, music psychology and neuroscience, music therapy, music education and inclusive education; as well as to practitioners and general readers.

Pamela Heaton is Emerita Professor of Psychology, at Goldsmiths University of London, UK. As a mature student, Professor Heaton drew on her undergraduate studies in music and classical training in her PhD thesis, which was awarded the British Psychological Society prize for outstanding doctoral research contributions in 2002. Developing and delivering the cross-departmental Psychology of Music module fuelled her interest in developing a cross-disciplinary approach to studying music in neurodevelopmental conditions