Insights on Social Behavior From Studying Williams Syndrome

Central to the developmental psychopathology perspective is the claim that studying normal and atypical development are related. In this article, we argue that studying a naturally occurring genetic condition—Williams syndrome—provides insight into social behavior in typically developing children. Toward this end, we describe the social phenotype of Williams syndrome, then offer three insights regarding biological and environmental factors that account for variability in social behavior in individuals who are developing typically and individuals with the syndrome. In so doing, we illuminate genetic, neural, and environmental processes that likely influence typical social development as informed by Williams syndrome.
The preparation of this article was supported by grants from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (PTDC/PSI-PCL/1116897/2010, PTDC/PSI-PCL/115316/2009, and PTDC/PSI-PCL/101506/2008). The study described in the article was partially conducted at Psychology Research Centre, University of Minho, and supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Education and Science through national funds and, when applicable, cofinanced by the Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement (UID/PSI/01662/2013).
info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion