This morning there was a feature on autism in females on the BBC World Service. I can’t find it online, but there’s something in the Independent about the issue.
Apparently one trait that is a symptom of autism in females is when someone is talkative one-on-one but super-quiet in a group. I’m definitely not autistic (at least I don’t think so), but that social awkwardness one of my defining personality traits. At least people with autism have a medical reason for being different, I’m just difficult.
But tonight we’re covering criminal profiling in my psych class, and that’s pretty cool. I’m sure I share way fewer personality traits with serial killers. Because I’m not a psychopath, I’m just difficult (hehe).
you're not that awkward in a group!
Heh. You haven't seen me in a group in a long time! I am usually completely silent, but it's because I'd much rather listen and observe interactions. That doesn't make people uncomfortable at all. [/sarcasm]
I tend to be quiet one on one and super talkative in a group. I have absolutely no idea what this proves, other than that I am crap at dating.
Michael, I know someone else who's a little like that. I have no idea what it means either!
Andrea and Michael: What your statements prove is that each of you is difficult, in different ways.
That was as easy as 213!
Take a look at the research on prairie voles. There are two varieties, one which has very social behavior and another that is solitary. There are differences in certain brain produced hormones. It is very interesting and may be a cure for several types of social awkwardness conditions like Asberger's syndrome and even autism. For example:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9951561
Oxytocin, for example, brings the milk in the mother and makes the mother want to nurse and cuddle the baby. It seems to play a role in autism. We are learning an enormous amount about brain chemistry.
The source for this is just my own personal experience with a family full of Aspies, but I don’t think talkativeness in and of itself is a definitive symptom of anything. I have an uncle who will buttonhole you for hours no matter what the setting, and a son who will grunt at you unless he’s talking about Lego sets he wishes to purchase, and everything in between. The Asperger’s diagnosis is based not so much on the quantity of your speech or the number of people who hear it, but on what you talk about and the way in which you do it, consistently and not just in isolated incidents. An Aspie might find himself talking on at great length all the time and just never pick up on the fact that his companion has been desperately trying to make for the punch bowl for the last 30 minutes. Or he might be able to conduct excellent software customer service over the phone but can’t talk his computer-literate wife through adding a network printer.
Well, first realize that Aspergers tend to a subset of symptoms out of the whole set. Think of it as two people going thru a buffet, their plates will have some things that match, and some that don’t. Also realize that these “plates” will vary in size, with some having just about every symptom in the book, and others just a couple (perhaps with some coleslaw).
We’re all a little bit crazy. If you’re not, then you’re weird :)
Serial killer has so many negative connotations, I prefer to use "person who uses the ultimate resolution to interpersonal problems".
I am slightly concerned by this comment! Heh.
“I am usually completely silent, but it’s because I’d much rather listen and observe interactions. That doesn’t make people uncomfortable at all.”
Especially when to make sure that I’m not missing anything, I stare at people intently. :-)