562. What Do We Actually Know About Autism? | Sir Simon Baron-Cohen

Have you ever thought about what it’s like to exist in a world that’s not designed for your brain? People with autism experience that every day, and whether you or someone you know is autistic or you’re simply curious about autism, NeuroTribes can help deepen your understanding of this condition. In NeuroTribes, award-winning writer Steve Silberman explores the history, characterization, and evolving societal perception of autism.

In our guide, we’ll explain what autism is and describe the history of our clinical understanding of the disorder. We’ll also explain how the 20th-century eugenics movement impacted autistic people and early research on autism, and we’ll describe the work of researchers like Leo Kanner and Bernard Rimland. Lastly, we’ll discuss treatments for autism, including those that Silberman identifies as the most effective: community and social accommodations. Our commentary will add research that clarifies and expands on—as well as challenges—Silberman’s ideas and the historical narrative he presents. We’ll also include other experts’ suggestions for how society can better help autistic people thrive.

Have you ever felt as though you’re presenting a phony version of yourself to the world? Do you feel the need to consciously put on a “mask” in order to get through each day? People with Autism commonly feel this way. In Unmasking Autism, social psychologist Devon Price explores Autistic masking—the way Autistic individuals camouflage their natural traits to fit into a neurotypical world. He explains that, while masking develops as a useful survival mechanism, it can do more harm than good, and he provides a guide for how to drop the mask.

In our guide, we’ll explain what Autism is, including how it’s diagnosed and viewed by the medical community. We’ll define masking and describe the harm it can cause. Finally, we’ll describe Price’s process for how you can unmask, including ways you can accommodate your Autism as well as ways society could change to accommodate Autistic people. In our commentary, we’ll add research that supports and expands on Price’s ideas, as well as complementary or alternative theories.

Have you ever thought about what it’s like to exist in a world that’s not designed for your brain? People with autism experience that every day, and whether you or someone you know is autistic or you’re simply curious about autism, NeuroTribes can help deepen your understanding of this condition. In NeuroTribes, award-winning writer Steve Silberman explores the history, characterization, and evolving societal perception of autism.

In our guide, we’ll explain what autism is and describe the history of our clinical understanding of the disorder. We’ll also explain how the 20th-century eugenics movement impacted autistic people and early research on autism, and we’ll describe the work of researchers like Leo Kanner and Bernard Rimland. Lastly, we’ll discuss treatments for autism, including those that Silberman identifies as the most effective: community and social accommodations. Our commentary will add research that clarifies and expands on—as well as challenges—Silberman’s ideas and the historical narrative he presents. We’ll also include other experts’ suggestions for how society can better help autistic people thrive.

In How to Know a Person, New York Times columnist David Brooks argues that our ability to truly understand and connect with others is in crisis. As a result, we have problems like political polarization, mental health issues, and an epidemic of loneliness. Brooks contends that by rediscovering the lost art of “knowing” people, we can bridge divides, foster empathy, and rebuild our moral character.

This guide explores Brooks’s key insights on seeing people as individuals, appreciating diverse perspectives, and recognizing the inherent dignity of every person around you. You’ll learn practical strategies for deeper listening, asking meaningful questions, and cultivating crucial social skills. We’ll also compare his insights on social behavior and relationships to those of other experts and look at how Brooks’s advice aligns with research on understanding and communicating with each other.

Have you ever felt as though you’re presenting a phony version of yourself to the world? Do you feel the need to consciously put on a “mask” in order to get through each day? People with Autism commonly feel this way. In Unmasking Autism, social psychologist Devon Price explores Autistic masking—the way Autistic individuals camouflage their natural traits to fit into a neurotypical world. He explains that, while masking develops as a useful survival mechanism, it can do more harm than good, and he provides a guide for how to drop the mask.

In our guide, we’ll explain what Autism is, including how it’s diagnosed and viewed by the medical community. We’ll define masking and describe the harm it can cause. Finally, we’ll describe Price’s process for how you can unmask, including ways you can accommodate your Autism as well as ways society could change to accommodate Autistic people. In our commentary, we’ll add research that supports and expands on Price’s ideas, as well as complementary or alternative theories.

Have you ever thought about what it’s like to exist in a world that’s not designed for your brain? People with autism experience that every day, and whether you or someone you know is autistic or you’re simply curious about autism, NeuroTribes can help deepen your understanding of this condition. In NeuroTribes, award-winning writer Steve Silberman explores the history, characterization, and evolving societal perception of autism.

In our guide, we’ll explain what autism is and describe the history of our clinical understanding of the disorder. We’ll also explain how the 20th-century eugenics movement impacted autistic people and early research on autism, and we’ll describe the work of researchers like Leo Kanner and Bernard Rimland. Lastly, we’ll discuss treatments for autism, including those that Silberman identifies as the most effective: community and social accommodations. Our commentary will add research that clarifies and expands on—as well as challenges—Silberman’s ideas and the historical narrative he presents. We’ll also include other experts’ suggestions for how society can better help autistic people thrive.

People commonly view intelligence as a single trait: a capacity for learning and problem-solving that can be measured in IQ points. However, in his groundbreaking book Frames of Mind (1983), developmental psychologist Howard Gardner proposes that humans have numerous types of intelligence, and each intelligence functions independently of the others.

We’ll start this guide by explaining Gardner’s ideas about what intelligence is, as well as his criteria for identifying a particular type of intelligence. We’ll then discuss seven sets of cognitive abilities and why Gardner believes that each of those sets qualifies as a distinct intelligence. Finally, we’ll explore how the existence of many types of intelligence (as opposed to a single general intelligence) could impact educational practices.

Our commentary will explore the ways in which research has supported or refuted Gardner’s ideas since this book’s publication. We’ll also discuss some alternative theories of intelligence. Finally, we’ll provide some actionable ideas for how to nurture and enhance your own intelligences.

In Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain, neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett sheds light on the inner workings of the brain and how they impact feelings, behaviors, and relationships. While providing an entertaining peek behind the curtain, she argues that by understanding the basics of how your brain works, you can take a more active role in deciding how to think and behave.

Barrett’s book is a collection of eight informal essays—one for each lesson. Our guide explores those lessons through four themes: how the brain is organized, how the brain operates, how the brain develops, and how brains collaborate. Along the way, we compare Barrett’s explanations of the brain to those of other experts in neurology and offer practical applications for the insights she shares.

If we want to be kind and moral people, it seems obvious that we should practice empathy—learning to understand what other people are feeling and thinking. Most of us probably believe that empathy should be a core component of our relationships. But what if this conventional understanding of empathy gets it wrong?

In Against Empathy, Yale psychologist Paul Bloom argues that empathy can motivate us to behave in ways that are unjust, irrational, and even cruel. He suggests that instead of practicing empathy, we should cultivate a rational form of compassion instead, and use this more measured and distanced approach to make decisions that are better for everyone involved.

In this guide, we’ll examine Bloom’s argument against empathy, explore the flaws that he finds in this emotion, and look at the methods that he recommends for making better, more moral decisions. We’ll also compare Bloom’s ideas to those of other psychologists and philosophers who’ve examined the role that empathy plays in life and relationships.

Diagnosed psychopaths lack empathy toward others, often manifesting in cruel and violent behavior. Distressingly, children as young as three can display signs of psychopathy—but this also gives mental health experts an opportunity to intervene early.

Do you constantly get swept away by your emotions? Would you like to learn how to control your emotional reactions at home or at work? Or maybe you’re uncomfortable with emotions, and don’t understand why you or anyone else feels them? Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman is a comprehensive look at what emotions are and why we have them, how we can get better at managing them, and why the well-being of humanity might depend on us doing so.