Autism theory is based on three areas:
- social psychology
- of the unconscious
- in-group/out-group differentiation
- dialectical individual genesis (dynamic developmental psychology)
The social psychology of the unconscious (see Bargh, J.; Hassin, R. et al.) shows that people unconsciously orient themselves toward other people and the respective group. They do this through facial expressions, gestures, imitation of speech and movement patterns, synchronization, etc.
The social psychology of the in-group/out-group differentiation, in turn, shows that groups differentiate themselves from other groups, among other things, through the commonality of these patterns. They also identify individuals as belonging to the group or as outsiders.
Dialectical individual genesis* shows that the differentiation of the individual occurs through (social) interaction with the environment. If there is a disruption in the interaction, there is also a disruption in differentiation (“development”). (see also Vygotsky, Lev S.)
* I prefer the term “individual genesis” because the word “development” implies a theory of predetermination, which also underlies the views of Piaget and Freud, among others.
