Language Science Lunch Talk: Allison Dods (LING) & Shevaun Lewis (MLSC)

LSLT: Upon Reflection. This semester, we've asked presenters to give reflective talks about their (or others') prominent work from the past. How did they understand the question then, and how do they see it now? See the full lineup here! Lunch will be served starting at 12:15. Vegetarian options available. Let us know if you have other dietary restrictions! From theory of mind deficit to double empathy problem: Using a neurodiversity framework to understand autistic communication Abstract: For decades, autism research searched for an underlying deficit to fix. In the last 10 years, mostly due to advocacy by autistic adults, more researchers are using a disability framework to understand the challenges autistic people face. Informed by this shift, our project (Fostering Inclusivity through Technology, or FIT) aims to improve communication between autistic and non-autistic people in the workplace, without trying to “fix” the way autistic people communicate. In this talk, we’ll look back on influential deficit-based research from the 90s and 00s, and compare it to more recent research, including FIT, informed by the “double empathy problem” hypothesis.