Prof Simon Baron-Cohen says his language was misunderstood and it is a myth that autistic people lack empathy
The scientist who pioneered the “extreme male brain” theory of autism has said he regrets characterising the condition in this way because the phrase lends itself to misunderstandings.
Prof Simon Baron-Cohen’s theory that autistic people tend strongly towards systemising over empathising has been hugely influential in shaping the popular perception of autism over the past two decades. The underlying science had stood the test of time, he said, but he now views the “extreme male brain” label as unhelpful.
“Some of those terms were very easily misunderstood and so I do regret that,” he said. “It can lead to simplistic headlines like ‘autistic people lack empathy’, which is not true.
“Some of that language, like male brain and female brain, I just don’t think it’s useful today.”
Prof Simon Baron-Cohen says his language was misunderstood
Ironically this experience may have given him more empathy for the common autistic experience of being misunderstood 🤭
Fucking psychologists.
He can get fucked. He has done more to harm autistic people than help.
I didn’t get diagnosed until 42 because I thought, having hyper empathy, that there’s no way I could have autism. Turns out a lot of autistic people have hyper empathy instead of stunted empathy. I’m not amused, this shit could have changed my life if I knew sooner.
Exactly, he’s the entire reason why we’re all assumed to be violent psychopaths.
