Changes

First, people with higher scores on the Autism Spectrum Quotient (items included "I am fascinated by numbers," and "I find social situations [difficult]") had weaker belief in a personal God. Second, reduced ability to mentalize mediated this correlation. (Mentalizing was measured with the Empathy Quotient, which assesses self-reported ability to recognize and react to others' emotions, and with a task that requires identifying what's being expressed in pictures of eyes. Systematizing -- interest in and aptitude for mechanical and abstract systems -- was correlated with autism but was not a mediator.) Third, men were much less likely than women to say they strongly believed in a personal God (even controlling for autism), and this correlation was also mediated by reduced mentalizing.<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-hutson/autism-atheism_b_1557098.html Are People With Autism More Likely to Be Atheists?] by Matthew Hutson, Huffington Post</ref>}}

First, people with higher scores on the Autism Spectrum Quotient (items included "I am fascinated by numbers," and "I find social situations [difficult]") had weaker belief in a personal God. Second, reduced ability to mentalize mediated this correlation. (Mentalizing was measured with the Empathy Quotient, which assesses self-reported ability to recognize and react to others' emotions, and with a task that requires identifying what's being expressed in pictures of eyes. Systematizing -- interest in and aptitude for mechanical and abstract systems -- was correlated with autism but was not a mediator.) Third, men were much less likely than women to say they strongly believed in a personal God (even controlling for autism), and this correlation was also mediated by reduced mentalizing.<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-hutson/autism-atheism_b_1557098.html Are People With Autism More Likely to Be Atheists?] by Matthew Hutson, Huffington Post</ref>}}

=== Atheist PZ Myers blog audience and their reported Asperger's test results ===

=== Atheist PZ Myers blog audience and their reported Asperger's quotient test results ===

[[Vox Day]] has written about atheists being "socially autistic".<ref>[http://voxday.blogspot.com/2007/08/socially-autistic-atheist.html The socially autistic atheist] by [[Vox Day]], August 02, 2007</ref><ref>[http://voxday.blogspot.com/2014/08/a-lesson-in-atheist-social-autism.html A lesson in atheist social autism] by [[Vox Day]], August 13, 2014</ref><ref>[http://voxday.blogspot.com/2012/08/atheists-and-daddy-issues.html Atheists and Daddy issues] by Vox Day, August 23, 2012</ref>  Day also wrote: "It's by no means a scientific test, but it is interesting to note the coincidence that 59 of the virulent atheists over at Dr. [[PZ Myers]] place [http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2007/08/01/im-mostly-normal/#comments report an average score] on the [http://www.piepalace.ca/blog/asperger-test-aq-test Asperger's Quotient test] of 27.8. And this does not include the two individuals who actually have [[Asperger's syndrome|Asperger's]] but did not report any test results."<ref>[http://voxday.blogspot.com/2007/08/socially-autistic-atheist.html The socially autistic atheist] by [[Vox Day]], August 02, 2007</ref>

[[Vox Day]] has written about atheists being "socially autistic".<ref>[http://voxday.blogspot.com/2007/08/socially-autistic-atheist.html The socially autistic atheist] by [[Vox Day]], August 02, 2007</ref><ref>[http://voxday.blogspot.com/2014/08/a-lesson-in-atheist-social-autism.html A lesson in atheist social autism] by [[Vox Day]], August 13, 2014</ref><ref>[http://voxday.blogspot.com/2012/08/atheists-and-daddy-issues.html Atheists and Daddy issues] by Vox Day, August 23, 2012</ref>  Day also wrote: "It's by no means a scientific test, but it is interesting to note the coincidence that 59 of the virulent atheists over at Dr. [[PZ Myers]] place [http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2007/08/01/im-mostly-normal/#comments report an average score] on the [http://www.piepalace.ca/blog/asperger-test-aq-test Asperger's Quotient test] of 27.8. And this does not include the two individuals who actually have [[Asperger's syndrome|Asperger's]] but did not report any test results."<ref>[http://voxday.blogspot.com/2007/08/socially-autistic-atheist.html The socially autistic atheist] by [[Vox Day]], August 02, 2007</ref>