Connor Keating

Scott Family Junior Research Fellow in Autism (Experimental Psychology) 

Research:
I am an experimental psychologist pursuing three main streams of research:

(1) Developing mechanistic models of emotion-processing

To date, we have constructed mechanistic models linking the conceptualisation, experience, visualization, expression, and recognition of emotion in both autistic and non-autistic people. Going forward, I aim to interrogate these links through studies involving causal manipulation and/or longitudinal designs. This work will enable us to understand the mechanisms underpinning emotion recognition challenges for both autistic and non-autistic individuals.

(2) Identifying movement-based indicators of autism

In prior work, we have systematically compared the facial and bodily movements of autistic and non-autistic individuals, identifying movement patterns that effectively distinguish these groups. Our next step is to develop digital tools to examine arm and facial movements in children, potentially improving screening for autism in the long-term.

(3) Addressing issues of diversity, equity & inclusion in autism research

In 2020, I co-founded the U21 Autism Research Network – a network of autistic and non-autistic researchers across 10 countries aiming to tackle issues regarding diversity and inclusion in autism research. In our current work, we aim to determine the research priorities of a diverse range of autism community members across the globe. By doing so, we hope to ensure that future research is tailored to, and has a meaningful benefit for, the autism communities it aims to serve.

Prior to joining Oxford, I completed a BSc and a PhD in Psychology at the University of Birmingham. My research is currently funded by a cross-council impact acceleration grant and University College, Oxford.

Publications:
Keating, C. T., Hickman, L., Leung, J., Monk, R., Montgomery, A., Heath, H., & Sowden, S. (2023). Autism‐related language preferences of English‐speaking individuals across the globe: A mixed methods investigation. Autism Research, 16(2), 406-428. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2864

Keating, C. T., Hickman, L., Geelhand, P., Takahashi, T., Leung, J., Monk, R., … & Sowden-Carvalho, S. (2024). Cross-cultural variation in experiences of acceptance, camouflaging and mental health difficulties in autism: A registered report. PloS one, 19(3), e0299824. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0299824

Keating, C. T., & Cook, J. L. (2023). The inside out model of emotion recognition: how the shape of one’s internal emotional landscape influences the recognition of others’ emotions. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 21490. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-48469-8.

Keating, C. T., Fraser, D. S., Sowden, S., & Cook, J. L. (2022). Differences between autistic and non-autistic adults in the recognition of anger from facial motion remain after controlling for alexithymia. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 52(4), 1855-1871. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05083-9

Keating, C. T., Ichijo, E., & Cook, J. L. (2023). Autistic adults exhibit highly precise representations of others’ emotions but a reduced influence of emotion representations on emotion recognition accuracy. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 11875. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-39070-0.

Keating, C. T., Sowden, S., & Cook, J. L. (2022). Comparing internal representations of facial expression kinematics between autistic and non‐autistic adults. Autism Research, 15(3), 493-506. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2642

Keating, C. T. (2021). Participatory autism research: How consultation benefits everyone. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 713982. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.713982

Keating, C. T., & Cook, J. L. (2021). Facial expression production and recognition in autism spectrum disorders: A shifting landscape. Psychiatric Clinics, 44(1), 125-139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2020.02.006

Geelhand, P., Papastamou, F., Belenger, M., Clin, E., Hickman, L., Sowden, S. & Keating, C. T. (2023). Autism-related language preferences of French-speaking autistic adults: An online survey. Autism in Adulthood, 5(3), 275-288. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2022.0056

Cheng, Y., Dwyer, P., Keating, C. T. (in press.) Factors underlying differences in knowledge, explicit stigma, and implicit biases toward autism across Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Autism.