Help Me to Understand Autistic Empathy. Jessica Harrison.

Jessica Harrison is an Autistic Autism researcher, with an expertise in Autistic empathy. In this webinar, Jessica talks to us about what empathy actually is (and what it is not), what Autistic empathy might look like, and she examines the research evidence for the 'standard' view that Autistic people have an empathy deficit. By providing an alternative understanding of empathy, Jessica helps parents and professionals alike to reframe their understanding of their child's organically Autistic empathy.

[LoganLS]

I am hyperempathetic and often have trouble expressing it. It be EXHAUSTING.

[artisticautistic]

I mean if someone is upset i don't give them a hug because if I'm upset I don't want a hug I wanna be left alone so thats what I do for other people who are upset

[PhoenixtheII]

Neurotypical empathy: If it not fits within our narritive, we bully and ostracize

[schwarzerritter]

Person B can not read the emotions of Person A, therefore Person B has no empathy.
Person A can not read the emotions of Person B, therefore Person B has no empathy.

[lisedenmark]

Thank you! I think this was the best explanation of the issue of autism and empathy I have ever heard. And I have heard - searched for - quite a lot! I will be spamming this video all over the place!

[bunnyrabbit]

Thank you SO MUCH for this! I’m sharing it everywhere!!

[Authentistic-ism]

Yes, my empathy is fine I think, if not just a bit odd. I was only allowed to watch old movies and read classic books and I learned a lot about social interaction in these ways. It worked up to a point but it didn't fly with my peers who did not understand that I was getting my social cues from incredibly outdated fiction oh my God. LOL. I got older I had to pay more attention to my peers in the wild and put down the books in order to keep up appearing neurotypical. I really was doing things like a Jane Goodall or a Robert sapolsky, doing field observations behavior of members of my own species in order to figure out how to make them recognize me as one of their own. It wasn't so much that I wanted to be like them but I wanted them to be able to recognize me. To take me into the troop to make me feel like I did belong. and somehow knew that they did not feel this way already and so I would employ cognitive strategies like everything.

[shanshancaliskan]

I read Brewer et al. (2015), last week, I was pissed too. However, it made me thinking, what measures can we come up that actually measure how autistics express empathy and emotions. after being trained all these years to become a psychologist, a neurotipical psychologist (how to behave like a neurotipical to treat neurotipical). I have to use the measurement that measures neurotipical empathy to measure autistic empathy. as an autistic myself, i would never do those things, even I feel how others feel, so intense and overwhelming. That makes me sad.
Nowadays, if people ask me, how autistics communicate, I would answer "well, words are not that important, it is telepathic. It is called the autistic theory of mind, which neurotipicals don't have." Hahahaha 😆
At the end of the day, this is a problem of majority and minority. The reality is, there are just not that many autistics become psychologists. We need more autistic brain power, come together, and get it done. Sadly, when I looked back the intro for my Honours, it said something like "to be a successful applicant for this position, you need to have excellent communication skills (e.g. eye contact, active listening), interpersonal
What a joke....

[juanschmidt]

Very interesting and eye opening. Thanks

[barbarazhang]

thank you for your wonderful sharing, which expands my understanding about empathy to a higher level.

[katladyfromtheNetherlands]

seems like these researchrs lack a lot of empathy!

[lizvanaarde]

Thank you so much, I will be sharing this with my therapist, friends and family.

[barbaras]

boy that was hard, I really struggled - I I wished you'd dais just once something positive, - not in the sense of positive thinking but give an example what you think empathy in Autistic people may look like differently