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Autistic people challenge preconceived ideas about rationality

psyche.co

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Re: Autistic people challenge preconceived ideas about rationality

#21

Post by georgestephanis »

bopbeepboop wrote: post #8
akvadrako wrote: post #3

It takes a while to get to the point, but this is what the page is about: As we explained in a recent review paper, researchers have repeatedly found evidence that Autistic individuals are, on average, more consistent, less biased, and more rational than non-autistic individuals in a variety of contexts. Specifically, many Autistic people seem to be less susceptible to cognitive biases, and therefore better able to m…

Isn’t this why there’s a correlation between Asperger’s and engineers? The same kind of logical, exacting thinking necessary for mastery of physical systems is in tension with the kinds of thinking used in social games. Some brains are better at one than the other — and we have disorders at both extremes. I’ve always wondered if autism and dyscalclia are something of “polar opposites”.

Yes hi, "aspergers" is an unfortunate nomenclature and many autistic folks (myself included) strongly resent it. It was named after a Nazi doctor (Hans Asperger) and used to classify autistic folks into "useful" and "non-useful" people -- as Nazis and Eugenicists are known to do. When you think of it, if you could refer to folks on the spectrum as such, without referencing the outdated nomenclature (the DSM-5 replaced it for diagnostics, now everything falls under the Autism Spectrum, rather than viewing the "higher functioning" folks as having a distinct diagnosis)

Thanks!

Re: Autistic people challenge preconceived ideas about rationality

#22

Post by seba_dos1 »

yupper32 wrote: post #14
pkoird wrote: post #4

> Imagine you have bought two non-refundable tickets to different trips, one much more costly. You are then told that you must cancel one of them. In this case, many people will cancel the cheaper trip regardless of which one they would prefer to go on – and even though they will have spent the same amount of money either way. I think a better example to sunken cost bias could be found than this one as people usually…

This is a strange one. I'd cancel the cheaper one because it'll be easier to go on that cheaper trip at a later date than the more expensive one. Choosing the one you'd rather go on right now shows a lack of planning. It seems less rational to me.

> it'll be easier to go on that cheaper trip at a later date than the more expensive one

How can you infer that just from its price though? :P

Re: Autistic people challenge preconceived ideas about rationality

#23

Post by AussieWog93 »

bopbeepboop wrote: post #8
akvadrako wrote: post #3

It takes a while to get to the point, but this is what the page is about: As we explained in a recent review paper, researchers have repeatedly found evidence that Autistic individuals are, on average, more consistent, less biased, and more rational than non-autistic individuals in a variety of contexts. Specifically, many Autistic people seem to be less susceptible to cognitive biases, and therefore better able to m…

Isn’t this why there’s a correlation between Asperger’s and engineers? The same kind of logical, exacting thinking necessary for mastery of physical systems is in tension with the kinds of thinking used in social games. Some brains are better at one than the other — and we have disorders at both extremes. I’ve always wondered if autism and dyscalclia are something of “polar opposites”.

>I’ve always wondered if autism and dyscalclia are something of “polar opposites”.

I don't think they are. Plenty of autistic people are bad at maths (you just don't meet these people in engineering circles!), and plenty of "social butterflies" are good at it.

Re: Autistic people challenge preconceived ideas about rationality

#24

Post by rajin444 »

Puts wrote: post #17

The ironic part is that the non-autistic people wont trust autistic peoples valuable non-biased opinions because of their bias against non-conforming people.

I had an autistic coworker who could not understand using pronouns outside of the already established ones (he/she). She was otherwise very “progressive” but didn’t consider herself such. It had to do with he/she mapping to (99% of the time) defined biological features.

It was a very awkward lunch.

Re: Autistic people challenge preconceived ideas about rationality

#25

Post by AussieWog93 »

georgestephanis wrote: post #21
bopbeepboop wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn’t this why there’s a correlation between Asperger’s and engineers? The same kind of logical, exacting thinking necessary for mastery of physical systems is in tension with the kinds of thinking used in social games. Some brains are better at one than the other — and we have disorders at both extremes. I’ve always wondered if autism and dyscalclia are something of “polar opposites”.

Yes hi, "aspergers" is an unfortunate nomenclature and many autistic folks (myself included) strongly resent it. It was named after a Nazi doctor (Hans Asperger) and used to classify autistic folks into "useful" and "non-useful" people -- as Nazis and Eugenicists are known to do. When you think of it, if you could refer to folks on the spectrum as such, without referencing the outdated nomenclature (the DSM-5 replace…

No post body was provided.

Re: Autistic people challenge preconceived ideas about rationality

#26

Post by yupper32 »

seba_dos1 wrote: post #22
yupper32 wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a strange one. I'd cancel the cheaper one because it'll be easier to go on that cheaper trip at a later date than the more expensive one. Choosing the one you'd rather go on right now shows a lack of planning. It seems less rational to me.

> it'll be easier to go on that cheaper trip at a later date than the more expensive one How can you infer that just from its price though? :P

You can't but "I don't know, I need more information" is a boring answer for a thought exercise.

Re: Autistic people challenge preconceived ideas about rationality

#27

Post by AussieWog93 »

Puts wrote: post #17

The ironic part is that the non-autistic people wont trust autistic peoples valuable non-biased opinions because of their bias against non-conforming people.

I don't think that's a trait common to neurotypicals or any group in particular. All people lend greater trust to the opinions of others who think similarly/have similar experiences to themselves.

Re: Autistic people challenge preconceived ideas about rationality

#28

Post by flayx »

yupper32 wrote: post #14
pkoird wrote: post #4

> Imagine you have bought two non-refundable tickets to different trips, one much more costly. You are then told that you must cancel one of them. In this case, many people will cancel the cheaper trip regardless of which one they would prefer to go on – and even though they will have spent the same amount of money either way. I think a better example to sunken cost bias could be found than this one as people usually…

This is a strange one. I'd cancel the cheaper one because it'll be easier to go on that cheaper trip at a later date than the more expensive one. Choosing the one you'd rather go on right now shows a lack of planning. It seems less rational to me.

Precisely. It is fully rational to cancel the cheaper trip. Many autistic persons would say that the entire question is stupid.

Re: Autistic people challenge preconceived ideas about rationality

#29

Post by overboard2 »

georgestephanis wrote: post #21
bopbeepboop wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn’t this why there’s a correlation between Asperger’s and engineers? The same kind of logical, exacting thinking necessary for mastery of physical systems is in tension with the kinds of thinking used in social games. Some brains are better at one than the other — and we have disorders at both extremes. I’ve always wondered if autism and dyscalclia are something of “polar opposites”.

Yes hi, "aspergers" is an unfortunate nomenclature and many autistic folks (myself included) strongly resent it. It was named after a Nazi doctor (Hans Asperger) and used to classify autistic folks into "useful" and "non-useful" people -- as Nazis and Eugenicists are known to do. When you think of it, if you could refer to folks on the spectrum as such, without referencing the outdated nomenclature (the DSM-5 replace…

Yes hi, why is the category of those with Asperger's syndrome not useful for the further understanding and communication of information.

Re: Autistic people challenge preconceived ideas about rationality

#30

Post by MisterBastahrd »

akvadrako wrote: post #3

It takes a while to get to the point, but this is what the page is about: As we explained in a recent review paper, researchers have repeatedly found evidence that Autistic individuals are, on average, more consistent, less biased, and more rational than non-autistic individuals in a variety of contexts. Specifically, many Autistic people seem to be less susceptible to cognitive biases, and therefore better able to m…

On the flip side, many autistic people have trouble understanding neurotypical people because they miss nuance in their communication that other neurotypical adults would find to be obvious.

Autism isn't some reasoning superpower, it's just a difference in processing stimuli.

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