Professor Linda Pring

Staff details

Position Emeritus Professor
Department Psychology
Email l.pring (@gold.ac.uk)
Phone +44 (0)20 7919 7881
Professor Linda Pring

Academic qualifications

BSc PhD CPsychol AFBPsS

Areas of supervision

Creativity in autistic spectrum disorder

Psychological aspects of visual impairment (associations with autism, children's memory, language, autobiographical memory, braille)

Museum access for people with visual imapirments or autistic spectrum disorders

Research Interests

My research interests include topics related to Developmental Psychology and Neuroscience, including savant syndrome. I have published research papers on specific learning difficulties including developmental dyslexia, autism, savant talent and cognitive and social aspects of visual impairment. In connection with the latter I have published on a broad variety of issues including autobiographical memories, musical processing, early infancy, Braille reading and raised line and picture recognition. I have advised on museum access in relation to both adults and children with visual impairments and have been working in this field for over 20 years.

In recent years I have been interested in the interface between psychology (cognitive and neuroscience) and the arts for example – museum conference presentations (Art Beyond Sight: Metropolitan Museum of Art 2005/2008), research  (with Sheridan; Mapping Arts, Health and Higher Education Collaborative Projects in London 2007), organizing conferences (e.g.  with Victoria & Albert Museum  and St Dunstans Charity for visual impairment ‘In Touch with Art’, 2007) and teaching (Multimodal approaches to learning. Widening Horizons, Tate Britain 2008).

Publications and research outputs

Edited Book

Pring, Linda, ed. 2004. Autism and Blindness: Research and Reflections. Wiley. ISBN 978-1-86156-444-3

Book Section

Greenaway, Rebecca and Pring, Linda. 2019. Visual Disability. In: Carrie D. Llewellyn; Susan Ayers; Chris McManus; Stanton Newman; Keith J. Petrie; Tracey A. Revenson and John Weinman, eds. Cambridge Handbook of Psychology, Health and Medicine. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 610-611. ISBN 9781316783269

Pring, Linda and Tadić, Valerie. 2010. Cognitive and behavioural manifestations of blindness. In: Ruth Nass and Yitzach Frank, eds. Cognitive and Behavioral Abnormalities of Pediatric Diseases. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195342680

Pring, Linda. 2008. Memory characteristics in individuals with savant skills. In: Jill Boucher and Dermot Bowler, eds. Memory in Autism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 210-230. ISBN 9780521862882

Pring, Linda. 2007. Blindness and visual disability. In: Susan Ayers; Andrew Baum; Chris McManus; Stanton Newman; Kenneth Wallston; John Weinman and Robert West, eds. Cambridge Handbook of Psychology, Health and Medicine 2nd Edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 565-566. ISBN 9780521605106

Pring, Linda and Tadić, Valerie. 2004. More than meets the eye: blindness, talent and autism. In: Linda Pring, ed. Autism and Blindness: Research and Reflections. London and Philadelphia: Wiley. ISBN 978-1-86156-444-3

Article

Goddard, Lorna; O'Dowda, Holly and Pring, Linda. 2017. Knowing me, knowing you: Self defining memories in adolescents with and without an autism spectrum disorder. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 37, pp. 31-40. ISSN 1750-9467

Greenaway, R.; Pring, Linda; Schepers, A.; Isaacs, D. P. and Dale, N. J.. 2017. Neuropsychological presentation and adaptive skills in high-functioning adolescents with visual impairment: A preliminary investigation. Applied Neuropsychology: Child, 6(2), pp. 145-157. ISSN 2162-2965

Fryer, Louise; Freeman, Jonathan and Pring, Linda. 2014. Touching words is not enough: How visual experience influences haptic-auditory associations in the "Bouba-Kiki" effect. Cognition, 132(2), pp. 164-173. ISSN 0010-0277

Crane, Laura; Goddard, Lorna and Pring, Linda. 2013. Autobiographical memory in adults with autism spectrum disorder: the role of depressed mood, rumination, working memory and theory of mind. Autism, 17, pp. 205-219.

Dimatati, Maria; Heaton, Pam F.; Pring, Linda; Downing, John and Ockelford, Adam. 2012. Exploring the Impact of Congenital Visual Impairment on the Development of Absolute Pitch Using a New Online Assessment Tool: A Preliminary Study. Psychomusicology: Music, Mind, and Brain, 22(2), pp. 129-133. ISSN 0275-3987

Heavey, L.; Hermelin, Beate; Crane, Laura and Pring, Linda. 2012. The structure of savant calendrical knowledge. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 54(6), pp. 507-513.

Heavey, L.; Hermelin, Beate; Crane, Laura and Pring, Linda. 2012. The structure of savant calendrical knowledge. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 54(6), pp. 507-513.

Crane, Laura; Pring, Linda; Jukes, Kaylee and Goddard, Lorna. 2012. Patterns of autobiographical memory in adults with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, pp. 1-13.

Pring, Linda; Ryder, Nicola; Crane, Laura and Hermelin, Beate. 2012. Creativity in savant artists with autism. Autism, 16(1), pp. 45-57.

Crane, Laura; Pring, Linda; Ryder, Nicola and Hermelin, Beate. 2011. Executive functions in savant artists with autism. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 5(2), pp. 790-797. ISSN 17509467

Crane, Laura; Goddard, Lorna and Pring, Linda. 2010. Brief Report: Self-defining and Everyday Autobiographical Memories in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 40(3), pp. 383-391. ISSN 0162-3257

Pring, Linda; Ryder, Nicola; Crane, Laura and Hermelin, Beate. 2010. Local and global processing in savant artists with autism. Perception, 39(8), pp. 1094-1103. ISSN 0301-0066

Crane, Laura; Goddard, Lorna and Pring, Linda. 2009. Sensory processing in adults with autism spectrum disorders. Autism, 13(3), pp. 215-228. ISSN 1362-3613

Tadić, Valerie; Pring, Linda and Dale, Naomi. 2009. Attentional processes in young children with congenital visual impairment. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 27(2), pp. 311-330. ISSN 0261510X

Tadić, Valerie; Pring, Linda and Dale, Naomi. 2009. Are language and social communication intact in children with congenital visual impairment at school age? Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 51(6), pp. 696-705. ISSN 00219630

Crane, Laura; Goddard, Lorna and Pring, Linda. 2009. Specific and general autobiographical knowledge in adults with autism spectrum disorders: The role of personal goals. Memory, 17(5), pp. 557-576. ISSN 0965-8211

Pring, Linda. 2008. Psychological characteristics of children with visual impairments: learning, memory and imagery. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 26(2), pp. 161-171. ISSN 0264-6196

Pring, Linda; Woolf, Katherine and Tadić, Valerie. 2008. Melody and pitch processing in five musical savants with congenital blindness. Perception, 37(2), pp. 290-307. ISSN 0301-0066

Eardley, Alison and Pring, Linda. 2007. Spatial processing, mental imagery, and creativity in individuals with and without sight. European Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 19(1), pp. 37-58. ISSN 0954-1446

Eardley, A. and Pring, Linda. 2006. Remembering the past and imagining the future: A role for nonvisual imagery in the everyday cognition of the blind and the sighted. Memory, 14(9), pp. 925-936. ISSN 09658211

Heaton, Pam F.; Pring, Linda and Hermelin, Beate. 2006. Musical Processing in High Functioning Children with Autism. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 930(1), pp. 443-444. ISSN 00778923

Edmonds, Caroline, J. and Pring, Linda. 2006. Generating inferences from written and spoken language: A comparison of children with visual impairment and children with sight. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 24, pp. 337-351. ISSN 0261-510X

Pring, Linda. 2005. Savant Talent. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 47(7), pp. 500-503. ISSN 00121622

Goddard, Lorna; Pring, Linda and Felmingham, Nick. 2005. The effects of cue modality on the quality of personal memories retrieved. Memory, 13(1), pp. 79-86. ISSN 0965-8211

Ockelforda, A.; Welch, G. and Pring, Linda. 2005. Musical interests and abilities of children with septo-optic dysplasia. International Congress Series, 1282, pp. 894-897.

Ockelforda, A. and Pring, Linda. 2005. Learning and creativity in a prodigious musical savant. International Congress Series, 1282, pp. 903-907.

Pring, Linda and Ockelforda, A.. 2005. Children with septo-optic dysplasia - musical interests, abilities and provision: The results of a parental survey. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 23(2), pp. 58-66.

Bunce, David; Hays, Kate and Pring, Linda. 2004. Smoking attenuates regular aerobic exercise benefits to episodic free recall immediately following strenuous physical activity. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 18(2), pp. 223-231. ISSN 0888-4080

Green, Sarah; Pring, Linda and Swettenham, J.. 2004. An investigation of first-order false belief understanding of children with congenital profound visual impairment. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 22, pp. 1-17. ISSN 0261-510X

Pring, Linda and Hermelin, Beate. 2002. Numbers and letters: Exploring an autistic savant's unpractised ability. Neurocase, 8(4), pp. 330-337. ISSN 13554794

Ryder, Nicola; Pring, Linda and Hermelin, Beate. 2002. Lack of coherence and divergent thinking: Two sides of the same coin in artistic talent? Current Psychology, 21(2), pp. 168-175. ISSN 0737-8262

Pring, Linda and Painter, Joan. 2002. Recollective experience in individuals with a visual impairment: The role of sensory and conceptual processing. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 20, pp. 24-32.

Goddard, Lorna and Pring, Linda. 2001. Autobiographical memory in the visually impaired: initial findings and impressions. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 19(3), pp. 108-113. ISSN 0264-6196

Heaton, Pam F.; Pring, Linda and Hermelin, Beate. 1999. A pseudo-savant: A case of exceptional musical splinter skills. Neurocase, 5(6), pp. 503-509. ISSN 1355-4794

Heaton, Pam F.; Hermelin, Beate and Pring, Linda. 1999. Can children with autistic spectrum disorders perceive affect in music? An experimental investigation. Psychological Medicine, pp. 1405-1410.

Hermelin, Beate; Pring, Linda; Buhler, Michael; Wolff, Sula and Heaton, Pam F.. 1999. A Visually Impaired Savant Artist: Interacting Perceptual and Memory Representations. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 40(7), pp. 1129-1139. ISSN 0021-9630

Heaton, Pam F.; Hermelin, Beate and Pring, Linda. 1998. Autism and pitch processing: a precursor for savant musical ability? Music Perception, 15(3), pp. 291-305. ISSN 0730-7829

Pring, Linda; Hermelin, Beate and Heavey, L.. 1995. Savants, segments, art and autism. The Journal Of Child Psychology And Psychiatry And Allied Disciplines, 36(6), pp. 1065-1076.

Pring, Linda. 1984. A comparison of the word recognition processes of blind and sighted children. Child Development, 55(5), pp. 1865-1877.

Report

Sheridan, Jill and Pring, Linda. 2007. Mapping Arts, Health and Higher Education Collaborative Projects in London. Project Report. LCACE, London.