Do you understand social cues?

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I am able to understand most social cues and facial expressions that people display. I just have a problem understanding what I should be doing in certain social situations. I am curious if there is anybody on this wrong planet that understands most social cues like me.

Sometimes, but rarely. Usually I'm too focused on something else to even notice these things.

I get like that too. I've been told many times that I look zoned out. My mind is definitely zoned out and I quiet even bothering showing my full attention in social situations.

Sort of, but it definitely doesn't come naturally. Everything I recognise, I know through prior experience, and I still have trouble deciding how to react. It seems to vary between people.

What I hate it is when you are trying to participate in a conversation but everyone is ignoring you completely.

I get most, but not all, of the signs. Still a little awkward in regards to those.

I can sometimes understand social cues if I don't pay attention to the words people are saying.

I can also detect anger and annoyance unusually well; this was a survival skill in childhood.

So, generally, yeah, I have some ability in that area--my autism doesn't mean total lack of ability. It's just rather impaired. I think of it as kind of like the way you can be functionally blind, but still be able to detect bright light or really big objects.

Oh, and I can read cats' social cues about as well as NTs seem to read each others'. I don't know this for sure because cats don't use words and are unable to give me a full evaluation of how well I can understand what they are telling me, but I can predict the immediate behavior of small domestic cats based on their body language, and even transfer that to some of the big cats. Small wildcats and ferals are like listening to someone with an accent; some of the bigger cats, especially lions, are more like puzzling out Latin or Spanish. Oddly enough, cougars seem nearly identical to the small domestic cats I am most used to. But I have only seen videos, and a few brief glimpses at zoos.

I wish I knew how well I really do pick up on cats' social signals. Do I do it as well as a cat-loving NT? As well as a fellow cat, even? Can I really transfer what I know about small cats to big cats, or am I misapplying small-cat talk entirely?

By the way--this does not necessarily mean that all cats immediately like me. I can be polite and avoid startling or infuriating them, but just being able to understand them doesn't mean friendship is inevitable. With some cats, it's more like, "Ehh, you're not going to eat me, and I won't eat you, so let's coexist." I bet with the big cats, some of them would see me as prey just because I'm small and clumsy, and I don't think I could convince them otherwise before they made a meal of me! But I'd really like to meet one up close anyhow. Safely, of course.

I can't tell if someone is jesting or if they want me to say something. People need to say they are not being serious and that they want me to participate in conversation. Why can't they get this?

I am usually unaware of social cues unless someone verbalizes that they have occurred. However, I can read cats.

I can only read my catatar Smuggy, because she is always smug.

I don't know. And if you don't know, how do you know if you don't know? You don't know what you missed, or you didn't miss it.

Sometimes I believe that I can understand social cues, but still I can take what is said literally so this can become an issue when I then seem to have misunderstood the person. For example, the person was suggesting that perhaps a, b and c be done and it was merely an idea. I then take it as literal and run with it and wham, no that was not ok.

I guess somewhat, though I tend to be pretty slow at it. If you include basic things like 'someone extending a hand to shake your hand' then yes, though I think largely because I have been taught them. And yes, I find my cats easier to read than people. X3

They have to be overt social clues in order for me to read them. I'm oblivious to the subtle stuff. I think some of it has to do with not wanting lock onto a person enough to take all that into account. I tend to keep my distance in that regard and sort of put up an opaque wall between me and them. A lot of the time I realize certain social clues that were directed at me in hindsight.