Aspergers and eye-contact

Aspergers and eye contact.
Andre Willers
14 Oct 2011

Synopsis :
The problem is too much information , mainly via pupil fluctuations .
Overgrown mirror-networks evolve very effective rules that is interpreted as being invasive or aggressive.
This can be lessened by decreasing information from incoming pupil : a simple black spot on glasses.

Discussion :
http://life-with-aspergers.blogspot.com/2007/10/aspergers-and-eye-contact.html

Too much empathy :
Aspergers (aspies) genetic traits has been strongly selected from 1700 AD (invention of planter) .
People who can concentrate intensely for long periods of time on repetitive tasks were very valuable . Exempt from being cannon-fodder . Well-paid . This attract mates . They have more offspring . Classical Darwinism . There are epigenetic effects as well , speeding things up .

The neurological mechanism is that general mirror-networks overgrow genetically programmed mirror networks concerning empathy .

The aspie deduces rules from interactions which are more acute than the instinctive ones .
But these rules usually have no buffers in untrained individuals .

A Poor man's telepathy :
The effect is hypersensitivity and or a feeling of aggression .

An aspie making eye-contact feels aggressive , since he thinks that the other party can perceive the same . Therefore he avoids it , or becomes hyper-aggressive.

Hearing :
See all Click posts . The same for hearing . This leads to the suspicion that aspies will be hard of hearing . The equivalent of avoiding eye-contact .

Interventions :
Numerous ones are available .
I will mention two :

1.Reduce information flow from other person .
The easiest low-tech way is simply to paint a black spot on glasses . About 0.02-0.5 mm in the center of the spectacle . This reduces the information from the other person's pupil .Instead of looking sideways , the aspie will look face-on , with full eye-contact , and still have good sensitivity

An amusing side-effect is that hearing will improve .

2 Disrupt mirror-networks using Trans-Cranial magnetic stimulus
See NewScientist 27 aug 2011 p6.


Physical clumsiness :
This seems a contradiction . The selection procedure is for fine , repetitive motor control
But the bad habit of looking away affects physical behavior and surfaces as clumsiness on gross motor activity . The aspie looks away at the last moment , spoiling control

This is easily remedified by training :

Golf:
An aspie playing golf with spotted spectacles will be a menace .
Indeed , most playing golf for the love of it would be fairly strong aspergers .
A spot in the center of their glasses should improve their game considarebly .

Less is more .

Andre

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