Empathising-systemising

• Baron-Cohen developed the theory to address important things that TOM couldn't explain

  1-non-social stuff in ASD

  2-the gender difference in ASD
• Empathising;recognising,identifying and responding to other peoples emotions

  • a useful skill,allows u to understand and predict peoples behaviours
• Systemising,the drive to analyse and understand systems

  • the systems can be mechanical,numerical or collectables
  • useful skill in non-social stuff when we want to predict how something will work
• females are better at empathising than males

  • they are better at understanding how others feel and more tuned into facial expressions and emotions
• males are better at systemising

  • good at analysing systems and figuring out the rules to make them work
  • males pursue careers in engineering,physics and maths
• People with ASD have weaker empathy,struggle with social interactions
• They have supercharged systemising skills,often better than typical people.This is why they pay attention to small details.
• Their systemising abilities explain their weaknesses also

  • narrow interests
  • repetitive behaviours
• Grove et al


  2 important parts of empathy

  • Cognitive
  • Affective
• Cognitive part


  understanding other peoples thoughts and feelings
• Affective empathy


  responding with the right emotions when we see someone else feel a certain way
• Those with ASD may have a greater level of distress than the person who is destressed