Impairments of attention are among the most consistently reported cognitive deficits in autism, and they continue to be a key focus of research. This is undoubtedly due to the importance of typical attention function to the development of many so-called “higher level” cognitive operations, and to the likely involvement of attention dysfunction in certain clinical features of autism. Such impairments of these functions may have a crucial impact on the social difficulties observed in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Specifically, deficits in executive control, set-shifting, working memory, and inhibitory control bear major significance for social cognition and self-regulation of behavior in dynamic social contexts. Such difficulties interfere with the ability to process social cues and respond appropriately in social situations. The neuroanatomical structure includes the DLPFC, anterior cingulate cortex, and subcortical structures involving the basal ganglia and cerebellum, among other regions, which constitute pivotal social competencies and social cognition (Heyder, Suchan, & Daum, 2004; Wager & Smith, 2003). An exploratory thrust into how dysfunctions in one important attentional network, namely the executive control network, would impact impaired social skills development characteristic of ASD, forms the centerpiece of this review article. We also discuss the development of such networks and their implications for social cognition in ASD. Further clarification of this relationship is needed to inform the development of more effective interventions targeting social functioning in ASD.