Copying?

Post Reply New Topic

(Currently being screened for aspergers)
Is it just me or has anyone ever copied someones characteristics (ie. Voice/movement etc?) also repeat certain phrases that have been said in a weird voice (and other things in weird voices)?
Not sure if its just me or if anyone else has experience it

What you're describing is pretty common in autism far as I know. I certainly experience it.

I do unintentionally mimic, sometimes, I think. Only temporarily. Usually it's an hour or so after I've watched a film, if I've become quite invested in a character, I find that I slightly change to speak/move like them. It's unintentional, and to be honest I didn't realise it was an autism related thing.

I do remember one occasion where I was playing a Disney game on Xbox Kinect or similar, so I'd been moving around a bit. Husband pointed out afterwards "Why are you standing like Peter Pan?". I hadn't realised I was.

That may be the kind of thing you're talking about? It's not deliberate copying, but I do sort of...take on bits of characters for a short time after watching them.

Yup. That's how I learned to survive when I was a kid. Mimicking voices, personalities, etc. In retrospect, I don't think it helped me be less "weird" to anyone, but it made me funny and interesting to other people. It kept the bullies away for the most part.

I think I've "copied" my laugh from other people. I used to laugh like I was always trying to hold it in, so my mouth would look kinda weird I guess. I've since started laughing with my mouth more "open", in that you can at least see my teeth, laughing with a smile. I don't know how to explain it, but my laugh does look more "normal" now.

I also use my new normal laugh to laugh at things that I personally don't find all that funny but just do it to blend in. For the most part, it works? I had something happen yesterday during a meeting for a group project where these 2 members kinda looked at eachother whenever I laughed at what the one guy said (while everyone else was also laughing) so maybe it doesn't always work lol. They also, without a doubt, have some opinions on me (because they meet outside of the project to study for other classes) and I've always acted distant and awkward (I don't even say "bye" usually, even though now they "expect" it as some sort of inside joke at this point, I still just don't say it and leave when everyone gets up lol). It kinda annoyed me when I saw them share glances whenever I did anything, but I can't really blame them or be mad at them for how they feel about me.