mirroring

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Has anyone tried mirroring others' body language? I am pretty bad at feeling connected with others but when I thought of this it helps me (when I decide to). I copy the person's body direction they are pointing and posture, as well as eye contact.

A lot of people with autism mimic such things. I think it's a good way to get by with what doesn't come naturally.

It's bizarre: but I'm a very poor mimic----unless the thing or person being mimicked is actually present before me.

I try to mimick others. Been doing that since early childhood. Now, if I really achieve my objectives with that... probably debatable.

Body language no, dress, language and culture, definitely, like my whole life

I definitely mimic social cues and body language, mostly subconsciously at this point. I even mimic expressions when I'm watching movies or YouTube videos until I catch myself doing them and feel embarrassed.

This isn't something I'm able to do with non-autistics at all, but I've had some limited success with other people with autism. Of course, that means I'm mirroring "dysfunctional" things like avoiding eye contact or using "incorrect" body language.

I'd only feel that I was going to "get caught" and have the person think I was mocking them or something. That's certainly what happened when I was talking to someone with cerebral palsy.






(the cerebral palsy bit was a joke by the way, but the rest wasn't, I'd feel too self-conscious doing something like that)

I take on the body language/speech characteristics of people I like, which I didn't realize I did until someone pointed it out! It's almost like echolalia for me- I will copy and repeat what others do/say because it doesn't come naturally to me. I don't, however, have that masking ability that many girls on the spectrum have . I suck at socializing! I never really "camouflage"- I just copy things people I like so because it makes me happy in a way. I never make eye contact or choose to copy people consciously either.

I can't do such real life mimicry of others style myself.

But sometimes I internally mimic organized disciplined proactive go-getter type characters, to be more like that myself and break out of executive dysfunction for a while.