This is one of a series of discussion posts based on questions from the AQ-10 autism test.
7. I find it easy to work out what someone is thinking or feeling just by looking at their face.
- Definitely Agree
- Slightly Agree
- Slightly Disagree
- Definitely Disagree
Is this statement true for you? Can you think of any examples? Is it an easy or difficult question for you to answer?
You can take the full AQ-10 test here. Note this test is intended as a quick screener, and cannot diagnose or rule out any condition on its own.
See… I don’t know. I’ve been repeatedly told by academics and the like that I can’t, and also that “normal” people have this magical “mind-reading” ability. But I’m not sure how true that actually is. I’ve certainly never felt that I’ve misread someone’s face, although I’m not sure how I could tell. I certainly feel like I could look at someone’s face and feel the same emotions they are.
I just did one of those online tests about reading faces (specifically “emotional intelligence”, blegh) and apparently got slightly above average? But the faces were extremely exaggerated, not animated, presented without context and rather opinionated (this face is feeling XYZ because their facial muscles are doing ABC).
Maybe I rely more on context cues and empathy than actual reading of someone’s face? No idea.
Edit: I do agree with the sentiment about bluntness though. I can be very oblivious.
Ohoh my own updated response is very dismissive of those emotional intelligence tests, and the notion that normal people can read your mind through your face. I very much enjoyed Ponderful’s (very long) video on the subject, and you might too.