I think there's a strong component of cultural conditioning involved in identifying as part of a social group, it is taught through the teaching of language to children, and in order to speak we have to contend with the general categories of identity that our culture believes in, so for example early on we learn to identify as one of 2 available genders and we learn how to be that gender in our culture. We learn to identify as a nationality, and so on.
I think that people with autism are less affected by the cultural subtext to the language, perhaps? Maybe due to slower or different processing? And, we don't seem to bond so easily, maybe for the same reasons. Uta Frith did seem to spot some of this.
I think it varies how much of a problem this is for different individuals, it doesn't stop a lot of us forming one to one relationships, and it may be offset by advantages such as independent thinking, thinking outside the box, etc, that enable us in other ways and enable the assumptions of our cultures to be questioned and to evolve.
Its also relevant to note that many people, neurotypical or neurodiverse, develop insecure attachment behaviours during childhood, this is a very well researched area. Insecurity comes about due to deficits in the environment, of various kinds, that are not successfully mediated by parents or carers, or where parents or carers may have difficulties in parenting or be less available than the child needs.
Children may become overly independent and dismissive in their relating or overly dependent and overtly anxious, while others may show both of these behaviours and find trust in others very difficult. Attachment behaviour is part of a developmental system that can be improved in later life for all of us, neurotypical or neurodiverse, making it more likely we can form secure relationships.
I think that people with autism are less affected by the cultural subtext to the language, perhaps? Maybe due to slower or different processing? And, we don't seem to bond so easily, maybe for the same reasons. Uta Frith did seem to spot some of this.
I think it varies how much of a problem this is for different individuals, it doesn't stop a lot of us forming one to one relationships, and it may be offset by advantages such as independent thinking, thinking outside the box, etc, that enable us in other ways and enable the assumptions of our cultures to be questioned and to evolve.
Its also relevant to note that many people, neurotypical or neurodiverse, develop insecure attachment behaviours during childhood, this is a very well researched area. Insecurity comes about due to deficits in the environment, of various kinds, that are not successfully mediated by parents or carers, or where parents or carers may have difficulties in parenting or be less available than the child needs.
Children may become overly independent and dismissive in their relating or overly dependent and overtly anxious, while others may show both of these behaviours and find trust in others very difficult. Attachment behaviour is part of a developmental system that can be improved in later life for all of us, neurotypical or neurodiverse, making it more likely we can form secure relationships.
