One potential starting point is cognitive therapy. One hypothesis is that the expected behaviors, the mysterious unwritten rules of society, need to be taught in the way one teaches mathematics or history.
Under this hypothesis, an individual with ASD should be instructed about everything from eye-contact and shaking hands to polite phrases and self-censorship. By objectifying this content, the affective filter can be reduced. A neutral presentation and mastery of this knowledge might be a reasonable approach.
A different approach is that of behavior modification and operant conditioning. The former is sometimes called ‘applied behavioral analysis.’ This approach hypothesizes that a clear incentive or motivation is needed for individuals with ASD, in order to produce behavior toward which they have no inclination, and which they may find distasteful, but which society expects.
To be sure, these remain hypotheses, and it remains to be seen whether either, neither, or both of them will be ultimately found helpful.
Perhaps some blend of the two is possible.
The type of society in which an individual lives is also a variable for consideration. Does a society have relatively clear, if unspoken, rules? Does the majority of that society produce behavior which approximates those rules? If so, such a society will be more navigable for an individual with ASD than other societies.
[Andrew Smith is a German teacher at Pioneer High School.]
