Autistic Sociality

The distinct ways in which autistic people form social connections, build community, and engage in relationships — which differ from neurotypical social norms but are not deficient. Autistic sociality may emphasize shared interests over personal relationships, prefer text-based or asynchronous communication, value directness and literal interpretation, and find community through parallel engagement rather than face-to-face phatic interaction. Recognizing autistic sociality as a legitimate form of social connection rather than a deficit is central to neurodiversity-affirming design and challenges the assumption that technology should train autistic people to conform to neurotypical social patterns.