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
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Natalia Mesa
8 January 2026 | 5 min read
Cracking the neural code for emotional states
Rather than act as a simple switchboard for innate behaviors, the hypothalamus encodes an animal's internal state, which influences behavior.
Cracking the neural code for emotional states
Rather than act as a simple switchboard for innate behaviors, the hypothalamus encodes an animal's internal state, which influences behavior.
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Natalia Mesa
8 January 2026 | 8 min read
Alex Maier argues that a scientific explanation of consciousness requires grounding in formalized mathematics
When it comes to discovering laws of nature for consciousness similar to those in physics, Maier argues that integrated information theory is the only game in town.
Alex Maier argues that a scientific explanation of consciousness requires grounding in formalized mathematics
When it comes to discovering laws of nature for consciousness similar to those in physics, Maier argues that integrated information theory is the only game in town.
By
Paul Middlebrooks
7 January 2026 | 1 min read