A frequently raised question is: do autistic people experience feelings in the same way as non-autistic people? This question takes us to a fascinating field where neuroscience meets behavioral psychology.
In the ongoing journey to understand the autism spectrum, an intriguing aspect is the emotional interpretation and experience of these individuals. A frequently raised question is: do autistic people experience feelings in the same way as non-autistic people? This question takes us to a fascinating field where neuroscience meets behavioral psychology.
Firstly, it is essential to highlight that people on the autism spectrum do, in fact, experience emotions. However, the way these emotions are processed, interpreted and expressed can differ significantly. One of the most notable challenges is interpreting feelings through facial expressions. Studies show that autistic individuals often have difficulty decoding facial expressions, a key component of nonverbal emotional communication.
Going deeper, it is observed that many autistic people understand feelings in a more objective and literal way. This stems, in part, from conditioned learning – an understanding based on concrete definitions and examples rather than subjective nuances. Consequently, a conception of feelings is formed that may be different from that of a non-autistic person.
Important to note is that this does not imply an absence of feelings. On the contrary, autistic people can feel emotions deeply, but the intensity and way in which these emotions are experienced can vary. Some feelings can be felt in similar proportions to non-autistic people, while others can be experienced in a more attenuated or even more intense way.
A rational approach to feelings is another key point. While a neurotypical person may experience emotions emerging automatically when thinking about them, an autistic individual may process this experience in a more analytical and deliberate manner. This difference in emotional interpretation and experience is notable and varies according to each type of feeling.
This understanding leads to a deeper recognition of emotional diversity on the autism spectrum. By uncovering these nuances, neuroscience not only provides valuable insights for supporting and understanding autistic individuals, but also expands our overall awareness of the complex nature of human emotions.
In short, the emotional experience in autism is a diverse mosaic, where each piece reflects a unique nuance in the way feelings are interpreted and experienced. Recognizing and respecting this diversity is fundamental to the effective support and inclusion of people on the autism spectrum in our society.
In our society, it is common for people to hide their feelings or not validate the other’s perception, because they do not recognize in themselves a feeling that the other perceives. For a perceptive person (and sometimes for autistic people too) it gets confusing, because they don’t know if what they perceive is real or not. And the lack of validation causes a person to lose confidence in themselves and their perceptions. It makes sense that everything is so complicated for autism!
