[edit]Social and psychological
Individuals with Williams syndrome report higher anxiety levels as well as phobia development, which may be associated with hyperacusis (high sensitivity to certain frequencies of sound).[30] Williams syndrome is also strongly associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and related psychological symptoms such as poor concentration, hyperactivity, and social disinhibition.[3]
Cognitively, individuals with Williams syndrome typically have global Intelligence Quotient scores in the 50s and 60s (an IQ score of 100 is the average in nonaffected populations), though higher scores are occasionally observed. In particular, individuals with Williams syndrome experience challenges in visual-motor skills and visuospatial construction. Most affected individuals cannot spatially orient themselves in space, or reconstruct an object from smaller parts. Many adults with Williams syndrome cannot complete a simple six-piece puzzle designed for young children, for example. These visuospatial decificts may be related to damage to the dorsal cortical pathway for visual processing.[31]
Despite their physical and cognitive deficits, individuals with Williams syndrome exhibit impressive social and verbal abilities. Williams patients can be highly verbal relative to their IQ. When children with Williams syndrome are asked to name an array of animals, they may well list such a wild assortment of creatures as a koala, saber-toothed tiger, vulture, unicorn, sea lion, yak, ibex and "Brontosaurus rex", a far greater verbal array than would be expected of children with IQs in the 60s.[32] The language used by individuals with Williams syndrome differs notably from unaffected populations, including individuals matched for IQ. People with Williams syndrome tend to use speech that is rich in emotional descriptors, high in prosody (exaggerated rhythm and emotional intensity), and features unusual terms and strange idioms.[31]
Among the hallmark traits of individuals with Williams syndrome is an apparent lack of social inhibition. Infants with Williams syndrome make normal and frequent eye contact, and young children with Williams will often approach and hug strangers. Individuals affected by Williams syndrome typically have high empathy, and are rarely observed displaying aggression. The level of friendliness observed in people with Williams is often inappropriate for the social setting, however, and teens and adults with Williams syndrome often experience social isolation, frustration, and loneliness despite their clear desire to connect to other people.[31]
In one experiment, a group of children with Williams syndrome showed no signs of racial bias, unlike children without the syndrome. Both samples showed gender bias, demonstrating differing mechanisms for the two biases.[33]
