Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Why Autistic Sociality Is Different: Reduced Interest In Competing For Social Status, Catherine L. Caldwell-Harris, Anna M. Schwartz

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

The complexity of human organizations poses the challenge of understanding and navigating social hierarchies. If 'social impairment' is a defining feature of autism, then these challenges may be heightened for autistic persons. We reject the premise of social deficits but follow recommendations to investigate how autistic social behavior diverges from neurotypical norms. We review autistic writings and also scholarship on reputation management, non-conformity and moral reasoning to argue that autistic people dislike social hierarchies, find status-seeking illogical, prefer egalitarian relationships, and often seek to report wrong-doing by authorities. We outline three possible causes: (1) reduced social motivation; (2) emergent property …