Can you tell if someone is bored when you're talking to them

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AJ89
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04 Aug 2012, 9:50 pm

Didn't have enough space left over for a ? in the subject line.

When you are talking to someone about something that interests you can you read their facial expressions and be able to know that he/she is bored?



Thelostcup
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04 Aug 2012, 9:52 pm

Looking at the ground is a pretty sure sign.



Atomsk
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04 Aug 2012, 9:56 pm

I usually can't tell unless they're being obvious about it. I usually take them not saying anything in response or asking any questions in response as a sign that they're bored with what I'm saying.



jagatai
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04 Aug 2012, 9:59 pm

I pretty much assume everyone is bored when I'm talking. I can't tell the difference between bored and interested. So I guess the answer is no.


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Colinn
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04 Aug 2012, 9:59 pm

Lack of eye contact, fidgeting, and limited input such as, yeah, uh huh, oh, ok. These are indicators that the person is most likely uninterested.



btbnnyr
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04 Aug 2012, 10:00 pm

I can't tell when people are bored with me, but others can't tell that I am bored with them either.



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04 Aug 2012, 10:41 pm

I have learned the cues for it.

Rolling their eyes
Sighing
Not initiating the conversation
Not asking any questions
Not looking at you


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yellowtamarin
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04 Aug 2012, 10:58 pm

jagatai wrote:
I pretty much assume everyone is bored when I'm talking. I can't tell the difference between bored and interested. So I guess the answer is no.

I'm kind of like this. I will assume they are bored much more easily that I'll assume they are interested. It's supposedly an aspie trait to go on and on about a topic without realising the other person is getting bored, but I always talk very little about everything for fear of boring them.



yellowtamarin
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04 Aug 2012, 10:59 pm

btbnnyr wrote:
... others can't tell that I am bored with them either.

Agreed.



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04 Aug 2012, 11:02 pm

Throw a question in there like "...what do you think?" . If they've turned you off they'll be lost and won't begin to know what you're asking about.


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hellokittyluvr
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04 Aug 2012, 11:05 pm

not really as i dont think i ever talked to someone for a very long time for them to be bored..however i can tell when someone is preoccupied when im sayin something like texting on their phone or something it bugs the heck out of me. Not sure if that means their bored or not just not really into what im telling them..idk



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05 Aug 2012, 1:46 am

btbnnyr wrote:
I can't tell when people are bored with me, but others can't tell that I am bored with them either.


:lmao:

I take this to mean that we Aspies on here are all worried not to bore NTs, while NTs are so very boring themselves and don't even notice. Hilarious irony!

By the way, took me 50 years but now I notice when someone's bored with what I'm talking about - they'll become passive, as others have mentioned above. Also, looking at watch, saying they have to go at the first pause you make, changing subject, suddenly paying attention to something else in the surroundings, etc.


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btbnnyr
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05 Aug 2012, 1:58 am

Most NTs also fit the Asperger's stereotype of going on and on and on about a topic that interests them. NTs sure use a lot of words when talking too. No one evar picks up on my boredom and stops talking.



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05 Aug 2012, 2:09 am

It depends on how obvious their boredom is. As I am probably not looking directly at them most of the time when I am talking, it's hard for me to read it. This is especially true when I go off on a rant. I try my best NOT to data-dump, but it's so hard sometimes. I actually found myself in this very situation tonight when talking about, of all things, Asperger's Syndrome. I couldn't tell if the listener was bored or fascinated with what I was saying. However, I did ask if I was being boring so that I gave them an out in case I was! :lol:


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yellowtamarin
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05 Aug 2012, 2:14 am

btbnnyr wrote:
Most NTs also fit the Asperger's stereotype of going on and on and on about a topic that interests them. NTs sure use a lot of words when talking too. No one evar picks up on my boredom and stops talking.

Hmm, I guess because there are more NTs in the world than Aspies, more often it is an NT/NT conversation where they are both happy with the topic. They can go on and on without too much problem. But when an NT talks to an Aspie, each thinks the other's choice of topic is boring. We are the ones with the issue though because we are the minority.



btbnnyr
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05 Aug 2012, 2:38 am

Maybe my stfu nonverbal cue looks eggsacly like eberryone else's please keep talking yes please nonverbal cue.