# What is your Autism spectrum quotient? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 15, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-autism-spectrum-quotient/606324 "2011-12-15T19:16:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-autism-spectrum-quotient/606324/61 "2011-12-16T02:02:08Z")
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**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-autism-spectrum-quotient/606324/62 "2011-12-16T02:06:51Z")
> [@irishgirl](#): > > 16- pleasingly average. > I do have some ASD traits (laser-like focus, to the point of easily tuning out fire alarms etc while otherwise occupied, and thus a complete inability to multi-task). > > I have a close relative who squares numbers ending in 5 to relieve stress, has perfect pitch and the ability to play most instruments by ear, speaks at least 5 languages fluently, disassembles and reassembles things (computers, clocks, pianos- he’s not fussy) when he gets bored, and has great difficulty with social interaction. > > The extended family are all convinced he’s at the high functioning end of the spectrum, although he doesn’t have a diagnosis. > > I wonder how he would score… Interesting, I can both do the laser like focus and multitask, I’ve never thought of them as mutually exclusive. However, now I come to think about it, when I’m really into multitasking I’m actually utilising the laser like focus and seeing all the tasks as part of a whole, and any serious interuption is likely to send me into gibbering incompetence. ETA I scored 17 ---
**Author:** ![Dorabella](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f08c70/32.png) [@Dorabella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorabella)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-autism-spectrum-quotient/606324/63 "2011-12-16T02:08:29Z")
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**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-autism-spectrum-quotient/606324/64 "2011-12-16T02:16:44Z")
Agree: 2,4,6,9,12,13,16,19,21,22,23,35,39,41,43,46: 1 point Disagree: 1,3,8,10,11,14,15,17,27,28,31,36,37,38,40,44,48,49,50: 1 point Score: 35 I’m definitely not autistic, though. The autistic traits I do have are due to having ADHD and a very addictive personality. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-autism-spectrum-quotient/606324/65 "2011-12-16T02:29:10Z")
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**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-autism-spectrum-quotient/606324/66 "2011-12-16T02:41:30Z")
1. I have been diagnosed with mild Asperger’s. ---
**Author:** ![FlyByNight512](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/82dd89/32.png) [@FlyByNight512](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyByNight512)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-autism-spectrum-quotient/606324/67 "2011-12-16T02:46:28Z")
1. I’m an introvert and detail oriented, so there you go. I haven’t been told I’m behaving inappropriately in a social situation in a long time. I also seem to have more trouble understanding people with accents or when there’s background noise than most people do, so that’s part of my dislike for ‘social groups’ of more than four. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-autism-spectrum-quotient/606324/68 "2011-12-16T02:52:04Z")
> [@PandaBear77](#): > > Agree: 2,4,6,9,12,13,16,19,21,22,23,35,39,41,43,46: 1 point > Disagree: 1,3,8,10,11,14,15,17,27,28,31,36,37,38,40,44,48,49,50: 1 point > Score: 35 > I’m definitely not autistic, though. The autistic traits I do have are due to having ADHD and a very addictive personality. Yeah, some of the questions could be autism, or they could be the hyperfocus component of ADHD. Good job, quiz writer. Anyway, I got a 19. My answers are probably a bit odd. I’m a fairly creative person and enjoy writing fiction. But I’m very poor at visualizing things. I don’t imagine what the characters in books look like (unless there’s a TV or movie adaptation) and if you describe an object to me, I rarely have any idea what you mean even if I’ve seen it before. Written instructions are often hard for me to follow too: for example, I was given a nice dollhouse kit several years ago and never put it together because for the life of me I couldn’t understand what the first step was asking me to do. ---
**Author:** ![dzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzero)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-autism-spectrum-quotient/606324/69 "2011-12-16T02:54:17Z")
> [@FlyByNight512](#): > > I also seem to have more trouble understanding people with accents . . . Yes. I have exactly the same problem. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone else say that. I can usually manage but it’s a significant strain. That’s why I always have closed captioning on. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-autism-spectrum-quotient/606324/70 "2011-12-16T03:05:58Z")
9 My points were scored because I’m kind of an introvert. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-autism-spectrum-quotient/606324/71 "2011-12-16T03:10:49Z")
1. No surprise there. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-autism-spectrum-quotient/606324/72 "2011-12-16T03:22:15Z")
I got 32. This does not surprise me. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_C](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Captain\_C](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_C)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-autism-spectrum-quotient/606324/73 "2011-12-16T04:28:00Z")
40 Agree: 2,4,5,6,7,9,12,13,16,19,22,23,26,33,39,41,42,43,45,46: 1 point Disagree: 1,3,8,10,11,14,15,17,24,25,28,29,31,34,36,38,40,44,47,50: 1 point Score: 40 And I’m a social worker! Never been to a doctor to seek diagnosis on anything. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-autism-spectrum-quotient/606324/74 "2011-12-16T04:29:14Z")
1. I am fairly non-social (tho that is changing currently), but an strongly empathetic and imaginative, which is why I didn’t score higher it seems. I am a bit (just a bit) surprised to see over 50% here are 20+ (the sample at Wired indicated that their control group scored 16.6). ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-autism-spectrum-quotient/606324/75 "2011-12-16T04:42:30Z")
> [@Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](#): > > This was my problem with it (and most similar tests), though I did tough it out. I don’t have any strong preference between theatres and and museums so it really boils down to the particular shows and exhibits involved. Just saying “a theatre” and “a museum” (or “a library” and “a party”) tells me next to nothing useful. For purposes of this questionnaire I went with theater for one, and museum for the other, to average it out. On the whole I’d prefer to learn something new and see something in person that I’ve only ever read about to meeting random people I’ve never met before in a random social setting, like seeing actual pages from the [Archimedes Palimpsest](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archimedes_palimpsest) at the Walters Art Museum that I made the focus of a weekend trip to Baltimore not long ago. But I’m probably never, ever going to bother visiting the [Bottle Museum](http://www.nationalbottlemuseum.org/) in Ballston Spa, NY again… And if the “party” were in a once in a lifetime venue or included people I admire that I’d never get to meet otherwise, it’d shoot up to to the top of the list. Similarly I think of myself as liking going to the library (I practically lived at my local branch a a child over the summer), but nowadays I buy books I’m interested in and haven’t borrowed a library book in maybe 20 years and have only set foot inside one for cultural events. But I go to several Broadway musicals, operas, concerts and/or plays a year. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-autism-spectrum-quotient/606324/76 "2011-12-16T04:59:17Z")
10 ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-autism-spectrum-quotient/606324/77 "2011-12-16T05:28:58Z")
1. I have some social anxiety issues. I keep meaning to see about maybe getting some help for them, because they keep me from doing things I want to do, but I’m uh, too anxious about talking to someone. Hah. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-autism-spectrum-quotient/606324/78 "2011-12-16T06:35:34Z")
11, but tests like this are only vaguely useful, and I always find myself thinking too much about it. For example, the first question: > [@](#): > > I prefer to do things with others rather than on my own. “Things” Humm. If you are talking about sex, then yes, I would much more prefer to do this with others, with bonus points if the others are tall, blond members of the Swedish Bikini Team. If you are talking about chilling out reading the Dope, then fuck no, I don’t want anyone staring over my shoulder as I flip through treads, pick one to respond, abandon it and go on. I’ll do that on my own, thank you very much. Others > [@](#): > > I often notice small sounds when others do not. I’ve got two toddlers. You try to keep them alive / your house intact without paying attention to what they are or are not doing in the next room. > [@](#): > > I would rather go to a library than to a party. Ask me on Friday evening at 8:00 pm and ask me again at 2:00 pm on a Tuesday. Naturally, I’ll want to go to a party on a boring Tuesday afternoon, what else is there to do? 😃 et cetera ---
**Author:** ![Wolverine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba9def/32.png) [@Wolverine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolverine)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-autism-spectrum-quotient/606324/79 "2011-12-16T09:10:26Z")
10 even though I’m a solid introvert. I’m comfortable with small talk and enjoy being with other people, but I still need a break to be alone to reenergize. Probably similar to\*\* John DiFool \*\*above in being strongly empathetic. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-autism-spectrum-quotient/606324/80 "2011-12-16T09:36:20Z")
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