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The structure of savant calendrical knowledge
Author(s) -
HEAVEY LISA,
HERMELIN BEATE,
CRANE LAURA,
PRING LINDA
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
developmental medicine and child neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.658
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1469-8749
pISSN - 0012-1622
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2012.04250.x
Subject(s) - recall , autism , psychology , cognitive psychology , developmental psychology
Aim We aimed to explore the organization of the calendar knowledge base underlying date calculation by assessing the ability of savant calendar calculators to free recall a series of date lists. Method Four experiments are reported that assessed recall of structural and non‐structural features of the calendar in eight savant calendar calculators (seven males; one female; median age 34y 6mo; age range 27–47y), five of whom had a diagnosis on the autism spectrum. The inclusion criterion was a genuine calculation ability rather than an interest in dates. Results Mean recall was facilitated for material organized according to the structural features of a calendar (leap years, dates falling on the same weekday, dates occurring at 28y intervals) but not for a non‐structural calendar feature (Easter Sunday). Interpretation Distinctions are drawn between two sources of savant calendar‐related knowledge, structural and event related. It has been suggested that structural knowledge plays a key role in the acquisition and operation of savant date calculation skills.