Francesca Happé’s research in cognitive neuroscience focuses specifically on autism and investigation of related typical and atypical developmental processes, particularly as they relate to social cognition.
Francesca Happé
Professor, King's College London
From this contributor
How autistic people use compensatory strategies to cope with daily life
In a large survey, autistic adults from around the world described their experiences of using psychological strategies to fit in.
How autistic people use compensatory strategies to cope with daily life
By
Francesca Happé, Lucy Anne Livingston, The Conversation
26 July 2019 | 4 min read
Male slant to research may skew autism’s reported sex ratio
Clinicians may need to go beyond the 'masks' to find autism in women.
Male slant to research may skew autism’s reported sex ratio
By
Francesca Happé
19 October 2015 | 6 min read
Remembering Lorna Wing (1928-2014)
Lorna Wing, who died in June, was the modest, kind and thoughtful mother of a daughter with severe autism. She was also a towering figure in the history of autism research, and her contributions to our understanding of autism cannot be overestimated.
Remembering Lorna Wing (1928-2014)
By
Francesca Happé, Simon Baron-Cohen
15 July 2014 | 7 min read
Why fold Asperger syndrome into autism spectrum disorder in the DSM-5?
In the new diagnostic manual for psychiatric disorders, Asperger syndrome will be folded into autism spectrum disorder. Francesca Happé, a member of the committee that made the recommendation, explains the rationale behind the decision.
Why fold Asperger syndrome into autism spectrum disorder in the DSM-5?
By
Francesca Happé
29 March 2011 | 8 min read
Explore more from The Transmitter
Are computational complexity principles relevant for explaining brain activity?
Cristopher Moore discusses the nature of computation and whether we should think of neural activity as computing.
Are computational complexity principles relevant for explaining brain activity?
Cristopher Moore discusses the nature of computation and whether we should think of neural activity as computing.
By
Paul Middlebrooks
17 June 2026 | 1 min read
This paper changed my life: Learning the molecular rules of cell identity
A 1987 Cell paper showed that a single transcription factor could turn fibroblasts into muscle cells. The work inspired Ardem Patapoutian to think about the molecular codes that define neuronal subtypes.
This paper changed my life: Learning the molecular rules of cell identity
A 1987 Cell paper showed that a single transcription factor could turn fibroblasts into muscle cells. The work inspired Ardem Patapoutian to think about the molecular codes that define neuronal subtypes.
By
Ardem Patapoutian
17 June 2026 | 6 min read
Leucovorin saga, and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 15 June.
Leucovorin saga, and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 15 June.
By
Jill Adams
16 June 2026 | 2 min read