Can you detect microagressions from others?

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Jayo
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25 Mar 2020, 7:17 pm

I know that those of us with ASD/HFA have clinical difficulty with accurately absorbing and responding to nonverbal communication, but I've always felt - as many of you likely do - that recent acquaintances have some kind of veiled hostility towards us, because they sense some unpleasant difference, like an uncanny valley effect. To that end, have you noticed microexpressions in peoples faces (upon first meeting them, or even after) that seemed to convey disgust, contempt, hostility, etc?

And did you ever call attention to it in an offhand way to diffuse or assuage it, e.g. "What's wrong? You seem kind of perturbed about something (is everything OK)?" - at least that would tell them that you're aware of nonverbal signals and not a "total weirdo", but they still might consider you odd for whatever subliminal reason or "vibes" that you give off.

Maybe it became a feedback loop or self-fulfilling prophecy in many of our cases, but with time as I greatly improved through counselling, awareness, mirror practicing, speech therapy, changing my interests and so forth...I noted these reactions less and less with people. During my early 20s (which was back in the 90s before my diagnosis) I can recall people telling me afterwards that so-and-so didn't like me or felt something was "off" about me, and I had no idea what they were on about, as I wasn't exactly a serial killer or something of the sort :? :(

It's worse as a young man in your 20s on a date with an attractive young woman: while you may not get the same kind of microagression as you'd get from your testosterone infused male peers who see you as "the enemy, the different one", she might make expressions that suggest disgust or disdain, and if you ask her "what's wrong" you will NEVER get an honest answer - it's like the metaphorical "elephant in the room". 8O



Mountain Goat
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26 Mar 2020, 6:39 am

I find I can miss the indicators of when someone is being annoyed at me until they get really annoyed and explode! Certain people seem to suddenly explode with aggression and somehow I don't know why! Especially if they start to swear as my mind highlights the swear words and misses the inbetween words, so I just don't understand what they are talking about! I am like "What's wrong with him? Has he gone mentally isane? He was calm a few minutes ago." Type of thing.
However, I do know someone who is so easy to read facially, that somehow with this one man I can tell what he is thinking before he says it. But somehow it is just with this one man.
But for most people out there, I don't have a clue what they are thinking. Not a clue! How can I? I tried an online quiz for empathy as I could not understand the empathy/sympathy differences (Still do not even though people have explained) and a question was if I knew what other people were thinking? How can anyone write this as yes? No one knows what another is thinking 99% of the time. Is only those little glimpses or exceptions like this man I know who is soo facially obvious.. Don't ask me why! He just is!
But how can anyone anywhere know what someone else is thinking? I jyst don't get it! What a question to ask! Haha!

Oops. No one look in the empathy bit below as I am empathetic. I think I am. I can show lots of sympathy/empathy. I just could not say that I know what others are thinking which is why the quiz gave me the low result... :roll:


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Mountain Goat
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26 Mar 2020, 6:53 am

You mentioned girls. I mean... I have always strugled (Even online) to tell if a person is flirting with me or if they are friendly. I don't seem to pick up on the clues unless they are obvious to all and even then if I did not expect it to be a flirt, I would miss it even with a direct flirt! And the very direct "Will you go out with me" (After much flirting over time) hit me with such an unexpectancy I said "No" in the past to 99% of girls because I was totally caught unaware and had not even thought about it, or given the chance to think about it. (Later regretted not saying yes to most of them... But no came out automatically due to the sudden surprize of being asked out!) Oh how I hated upsetting them. If only there were lots of me I could say "Here. Take this one!" Haha! Sorry girls.
But for me to ask a girl/lady out not knowing if they were flirty or just being nice.. I have not asked many, and the small amount I have asked I have had extreme negative replies like "Go away or I'll call the police". So no. I did not have much success! Hahaha! (Though now maybe I have :mrgreen: ).


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Dear_one
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26 Mar 2020, 10:59 am

My ex used to hallucinate aggression everywhere. Then, she'd respond and sometimes turn it real.