Scales for Social Functioning? Heres a possbility:

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I guess if there was a scale showing efficiency in Social Settings, it might look something like this:

Catatonic - LFA - Autism - HFA - AS/NLD - "Normal" - semi-popular - popular - socialite - politician

So, even a "popular" person can improve their "social skills"... to be able to read a room better, to remember names better.. to crack better, more timely jokes... ultimately to the point of winning votes.. for instance..

This isn't an exact scale... just kindof to give the idea that there are varying degrees of social prowess all the way up to the skillful and sometimes conniving, conning, slithery personality of some politicians... It doesn't necessarily make for a better all-round person just because they have better social skills.. There are actually people that can learn the name of every person in a social setting, say of 200 people, and remember those names... Those people are RARE too..

Do you all know of any other tests or scales for social functioning? I wish I could improve in that area myself.... Any ideas on that are appreciated also... like Book Titles, DVDs, etc...to improve Social functioning?

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Last edited by burnse22 on 10 May 2008, 3:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Well, yeah.. some politicians can be down right "slithery"... but to get votes, they have a certain prowess when it comes to manipulating social situations.. Not that I personally want to be manipulative... maybe I should change Politiian to be "world leader" "leader of a country" or something like that... anyway.. it was supposed to be kindof vague..

I've found that if I try to communicate with people who are semi-popular or "popular".. that they really don't want anything to do with me other than just on a superficial basis.. The more socially successful a person is, the more I have come to realize (maybe this isn't really true) that I should avoid them... they will only hurt me and/or make me feel inferior.. Like, they would only use me or play headgames etc... or maybe at first think I was normal, but then start to attack once they saw that I wasn't... like how dare I try to be THEIR friend... it's depressing when that happens... I avoid getting too close to those people usually...

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Last edited by burnse22 on 10 May 2008, 3:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I think the categories are too nebulous... You can't say somebody is "low" or "high" functioning based just on their social skills, because there is more to autism than that. There's the obsessions and the language skill and whatnot... I know of one autistic kid who relates wonderfully to other people; but he stims a whole lot and has a three-word vocabulary... Putting autistic people into low/high boxes based on any one symptom doesn't work; and when you try to count all of the different scales you could use, you still can't put them in boxes because they fit into more than one.

If you want to say "low social functioning", though, I'll give you that; but then you have to define "social functioning"... because you can understand people wonderfully, and be socially impaired by something you can't help, like the color of your skin or the fact that you like to flick your fingers...

I recall a book in the 70's called ...."winning friends and influencing people"...or something like that...then there are the ones from the 80's designed to be a better sleeze...."Swimming with the Sharks" or something like that. Point just being,that yeah, even NT's can see value in learning social skills...it might be how they put them to use that makes it "immoral" to me.

There are little tricks you can learn about non-verbal behavior that I have seen written mostly to "get a date", so I know such info is out there, just not sure what it's called. I do remember something about what I read in one article....

When talking with someone, open your stance so they perceive you as more open, honest friendly...(don't have your arms crossed over your arms or hands in pockets because it is "read" as being defenssive, closed off or dishonest)

When talking with someone....mimic their behavior in small ways...they are playing with their straw, play with your straw(FYI..dont copy their accent), but smile when they smile,etc.

If you like someone...touch them casualy. like brushing up against them or touching their shoulder...I know some of us hate this but many NT's seem to like it.

If you are physically attracted to some one or they are to you...."preen" ie....play with your hair, adjust your clothes. This is a big sign of interest.

Weird stuff,huh?

depending on the situation, I can agree. It seems f****d up.



yeah; I remember reading body language texts.



the 2 parts I quoted, to me yesh

also, I want to be a politician.

the 2 parts I quoted, to me yesh[/quote]


What is kind of funny to me is that both the things you quoted are also seen in the animal kingdom, when picking a mate. There are several others that would also apply...so maybe just watch "animal planet"

thx...also; I just noticed something....I might have done the 'mimcing' thing in the past when I brought the same pop someone else did; she noticed it and I didn't....subconcious, or a coincidence; as I actually like lemon/lime

Just happened today; a hour-3 hours ago.

Using labels is somewhat erroneous as:

Someone with AS can have immense levels of disruptive and inappropriate behaviour, which is just as disabling as those who appear aloof to others [but who wish to be able to interact].

Yeah, I guess in my life I've had a couple occasions of: "immense levels of disruptive and inappropriate behavior" as well as the more usual and typical for me: "appearing aloof to others"...

I was thinking in terms of social ability.. of course, we all have our periodic spectrum moments.. but in general... in a typical social situation.. how would a person usually act? I guess aloof could appear to be either shy or conceited.. but if not too much was said, it would not create a social disaster that some with with AS in a meltdown could create... I see what you're saying...