Comparing Imitation and Stereotyped Behaviors in Autistic Children: Robots vs. Human Operators

In a single session each child will be video-recorded while performing the task. The participant subjects will perform the same task at two different times, once with the human operator and once with the Qt robot. Both tasks will have a duration of approximately 4 minutes. During the first minute, both the operator and the Qt will introduce themselves and ask four questions to the child to deepen the acquaintance. In the second minute, the operator/Qt will tell a story. In the third minute, the operator/Qt will ask to imitate 4 motor movements, while in the fourth minute, the operator/Qt will ask to imitate 4 facial expressions.