Help a psychology student understand

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1. Where are you on the spectrum?
On the waiting list to be re-tested
2. Are you a kid (your age is less than 13), teen (your age is 13 – 21), adult (your age is 22-60), or elderly (your age is 60+)?
Adult
3. How long have you been using online forums?
Close to 15 years
4. Do you interact with people better on the forums as opposed to in real life?
Not particularly
5. Has the forums helped you in real life interactions? If yes, how?
Not particularly
a. Has it helped you improve your behavior?
Improvement is relative
b. Has it helped you understand other people’s viewpoints?
Suppose so
6. Are there any other ways you think the forums have helped you?
To realize I am not alone in my peculiarities
7. Are there any difficulties that you have in the real world that are overcome or not there when you use the forums?
A few
8. Do you like that you can interact with other people who have autism/Asperger on forums?
Suppose so
a. Would you like this as much if you were interacting with them in real life instead of online?
Possiblyb. Do you prefer this online interaction to real life interactions?
Not particularly
9. What other forum websites do you use?
One other forum
10. Are there any rules of the forum that a new person to the forum wouldn’t know? By rules I mean courtesy things like pointing out if sarcasm is being used, or how to use acronyms, or how to use smilies (emoticons), etc,.
You should learn as you go along.

Extra info: ...

1. Where are you on the spectrum?

Aspergers.

2. Are you a kid (your age is less than 13), teen (your age is 13 – 21), adult (your age is 22-60), or elderly (your age is 60+)?

Adult

3. How long have you been using online forums?

11 years. I have been on this particular forum for 8 months but dip in and out of it depending on what else is going on in my life at the same time.

4. Do you interact with people better on the forums as opposed to in real life?

Yes definitely-I can concentrate solely on what I want to communicate rather than being bombarded with confusing noises, smells and facial expressions which all affect the way I express myself in real life. Also I type a lot better than I speak, particularly when I am stressed or anxious. In these circumstances, I often lose the ability to speak but can write/type perfectly.

5. Has the forums helped you in real life interactions? If yes, how?

Not particularly-there are always going to be other factors in off line interactions that make them a lot more awkward and uncomfortable than on line interactions.

a. Has it helped you improve your behavior?

No-I have never considered myself to have behavioural problems anyway.

b. Has it helped you understand other people’s viewpoints?

I guess so.

6. Are there any other ways you think the forums have helped you?

It has helped me realise that there are so many people out there who have experienced the same experiences as me and it has helped me not feel so alone.

7. Are there any difficulties that you have in the real world that are overcome or not there when you use the forums?

Yes-I don't have to try and understand body language, facial expressions and tone of voice when I am online and this helps to reduce miscommunications.

8. Do you like that you can interact with other people who have autism/Asperger on forums?

Yes.

a. Would you like this as much if you were interacting with them in real life instead of online?

I am not sure about these particular people but I have several off line friends with Aspergers and we get on well.

Do you prefer this online interaction to real life interactions?

Depends on my general mood at any given time and how comfortable I feel with the people that I am interacting with in real life.

9. What other forum websites do you use?

One other forum for people with dyspraxia but I don;t post anywhere near as regularly as I used to on there.

10. Are there any rules of the forum that a new person to the forum wouldn’t know? By rules I mean courtesy things like pointing out if sarcasm is being used, or how to use acronyms, or how to use smilies (emoticons), etc,.

Nothing I can think of that hasn't been covered already.

1. Where are you on the spectrum?
aspergers

2. Are you a kid (your age is less than 13), teen (your age is 13 – 21), adult (your age is 22-60), or elderly (your age is 60+)?
adult

3. How long have you been using online forums?
decades

4. Do you interact with people better on the forums as opposed to in real life?
depends on the person and situation. I love forums that have ignore and block features which give an advantage over real life (just yesterday IRL a religious fanatic actually chased me down to preach at me when I walked away, online I just need to hit block, there I had to threaten violence)

however, I have trouble making computers work and I hate typing everything. Speech is easier and nuances go further person to person. (I also don't have to worry about spelling typing errors nor people who flame you for simple mistakes when they no longer are able to actually have a point against your argument)

5. Has the forums helped you in real life interactions? If yes, how?
a. Has it helped you improve your behavior?
not really, just a way of not being as bored

b. Has it helped you understand other people’s viewpoints?
nope

6. Are there any other ways you think the forums have helped you?
I have learned about certain subjects which some are dedicated to (here I am getting why I do certain things, turns out others have similar experiences)

7. Are there any difficulties that you have in the real world that are overcome or not there when you use the forums?
see above

8. Do you like that you can interact with other people who have autism/Asperger on forums?
a. Would you like this as much if you were interacting with them in real life instead of online?
don't know, never had the chance

b. Do you prefer this online interaction to real life interactions?
no a thousand times no

9. What other forum websites do you use?
Facebook
Hip Forums
Badge Society
Twitter
ISNA
OII org AU

10. Are there any rules of the forum that a new person to the forum wouldn’t know? By rules I mean courtesy things like pointing out if sarcasm is being used, or how to use acronyms, or how to use smilies (emoticons), etc,.
I use #sarcasm to tag, more obvious than a tiny emoticon which is hard to read anyway or guess the intent (I also tag triggers and other things)

Hey everyone,
I'm a psychology student studying how people with autism and/or asperger's use forums and how it helps them. It would really help me understand this more if you all could answer my questions. I'd be really happy if you could help me out! Smile
^ This is a lie, in that only the first part and the last part are possibly true.
It's a standard survey you're doing as part of a class assignment (of some sort) or some sort of informal study, you're not asking these questions to 'understand this more' so saying that is obviously a lie.
You should just tell us why you're doing this straight out, don't try to trick us.
We're not friggin lab rats, we're people.
Lying is offensive.

That being said, here are my answers to your terrible, grammatically incorrect, horribly imprecise questions, for what they're worth:

1. Where are you on the spectrum?
I was diagnosed with Asperger's about 14 years ago. I consider myself a (relatively) high functioning autistic.

2. Are you a kid (your age is less than 13), teen (your age is 13 – 21), adult (your age is 22-60), or elderly (your age is 60+)?
Chronologically, I'm in the range of what you're referring to as an 'adult'.
In other terms, I'm kind of a mix of all three.

3. How long have you been using online forums?
It depends on what you mean by that.
I've been online since 1992 or so, both on single & multi-line BBSes and on the Internet (using various protocols).
I ran my own single line BBS for many years in the mid to late 90s.
I've spent years where I didn't really do anything that used this sort of format, and years where I have.
You can see how long I've been on this particular forum underneath my name.

4. Do you interact with people better on the forums as opposed to in real life?
Better?
That's a weird word to use.
Differently, I guess.
Better sometimes, worse sometimes, I would imagine, depending on the instance.

5. Have the forums helped you in real life interactions? If yes, how?
In terms of the BBSes, they helped me connect to & meet other weird, geeky teens growing up, and running one actually brought me a certain amount of respect and popularity in that particular social circle.
I wasn't well known or cool in school, but in the local BBSer comminuty I was, which was nice.

a. Has it helped you improve your behavior?
Not really, but it did help me find people who didn't mind my behavior.

b. Has it helped you understand other people’s viewpoints?
I suppose, to whatever extent that's possible, but no more so than in-depth conversations I've had in person, over the phone, or in real-time chats of various sorts.

6. Are there any other ways you think the forums have helped you?
I guess it's nice to have a place to get stuff out and communicate with others who are sort of like me, in various contexts.

7. Are there any difficulties that you have in the real world that are overcome or not there when you use the forums?
I suppose, but then it's an entirely different communication method with its own advantages and disadvantages.
I find that my online communications can be just as awkward as in real life, or not, depending on the situation.

8. Do you like that you can interact with other people who have autism/Asperger on forums?
Yes.

a. Would you like this as much if you were interacting with them in real life instead of online?
Maybe, maybe not.
It would depend quite heavily on the specifics of those interactions and the people invovled.
As the saying goes, if you've met one autistic person, you've met one autistic person.
We're all so different that I'd probably only like it in real life of there were ones that I got along with.

b. Do you prefer this online interaction to real life interactions?
Prefer? Not really, no.

9. What other forum websites do you use?
None at the moment.

10. Are there any rules of the forum that a new person to the forum wouldn’t know? By rules I mean courtesy things like pointing out if sarcasm is being used, or how to use acronyms, or how to use smilies (emoticons), etc,.
I'm sure, but there are rules threads stuck at the top of every subforum, so one expects that they can figure that stuff out for themselves, or not.
In any case, there are mods & whatnot to deal with people who get really out of line so it's not really that important.

Is there anything else you think I should know?
Yes, there are lots of other things I think you should know, but no, I'm not going to tell you or teach you those things, you'll just have to learn them for yourself.

I wish you much luck in parsing your survey & attempting to draw conclusions from it.
If you want to make up for lying to us about it, you'll post your results on this forum for us to look over & comment on.

1. Yes
2. Teen
3. About 10 years
4. Probably, sometimes. Though internet disinhibition is a thing.
5. Probably not.
a. Probably not.
b. Yes
6. I have learned loads generally, and improved my writing.
7. Yes
8. Yes
a. No
b. Mostly.
9. None of your business
10. Yes

1. Where are you on the spectrum?
Very high functioning autism/Asperger's.
2. Are you a kid (your age is less than 13), teen (your age is 13 – 21), adult (your age is 22-60), or elderly (your age is 60+)?
adult, age 45.
3. How long have you been using online forums?
For 6 months.
4. Do you interact with people better on the forums as opposed to in real life?
It depends. I do have a few very close friends, and I can interact fine with them. But I feel super-comfortable on the WP forum. I click with all the people here.
5. Has the forums helped you in real life interactions? If yes, how?
Yes. It's great to know I'm not alone.
a. Has it helped you improve your behavior?
Not particularly, because I've had CBT to help me. However, I have learned some things vicariously through the posts here.
b. Has it helped you understand other people’s viewpoints?
I'm not sure. Do you mean the viewpoints of others on the spectrum? If so, I suppose. But I'm still not good at getting outside my own situation. I especially have a hard time with the other members who want to "give up" because of their condition. I don't believe in giving up.
6. Are there any other ways you think the forums have helped you?
They helped me to feel less lonely.
7. Are there any difficulties that you have in the real world that are overcome or not there when you use the forums?
No.
8. Do you like that you can interact with other people who have autism/Asperger on forums?
Absolutely, yes.
a. Would you like this as much if you were interacting with them in real life instead of online?
I'm not sure. I haven't met any of the members in real life. It could be that I hate them. Or it could be that I love them. I don't know.
b. Do you prefer this online interaction to real life interactions?
Again, I don't know.
9. What other forum websites do you use?
None.
10. Are there any rules of the forum that a new person to the forum wouldn’t know? By rules I mean courtesy things like pointing out if sarcasm is being used, or how to use acronyms, or how to use smilies (emoticons), etc,.
The only rule is to be yourself and to accept feedback as feedback, and not a personal attack. Actually, it's the ones who take everything personally and who whine and moan that I avoid.

BTW, OP, why does is your grammar and spelling so subpar? Disagreements between subjects and verbs drive me crazy.

Same here! As does the misuse of "I" and "me"!

Perhaps Foira's native tongue is not English.

I have a feeling this is a child...someone who is in high school learning about different conditions. I agree with the other posters: if this person were legitimate, they would have listed their credentials (class they are enrolled in, college they are attending, assignment, etc.). I have already filled it out, so hopefully I'm not getting used...


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1. Where are you on the spectrum?

I have Aspergers (now classified as ASD)

2. Are you a kid (your age is less than 13), teen (your age is 13 – 21), adult (your age is 22-60), or elderly (your age is 60+)?

Adult

3. How long have you been using online forums?

Couple of months.

4. Do you interact with people better on the forums as opposed to in real life?

Yes, but I am also highly functioning.

5. Has the forums helped you in real life interactions? If yes, how?

Somewhat...? Members help me when I have an ASD-related question I need answered by an honest group of knowledgeable individuals.

a. Has it helped you improve your behavior?

Only with respect to reactions to people. Point of view is also improved.

b. Has it helped you understand other people’s viewpoints?

(See 5a) Through crowdsourcing, yes.

6. Are there any other ways you think the forums have helped you?

They helped lift my spirits when I was discouraged my psychiatrist didn't believe my self-diagnosis. It was a devastating time for me. I know my diagnosis is correct: when I stumbled upon Aspergers, it was like a drunk walking into AA for the first time ("Oh my God, they KNOW me!"). The support and community have been very beneficial to me.

7. Are there any difficulties that you have in the real world that are overcome or not there when you use the forums?

(See 6)

8. Do you like that you can interact with other people who have autism/Asperger on forums?

Absolutely. Having a group of like-minded thinkers is fantastically supportive.

a. Would you like this as much if you were interacting with them in real life instead of online?

No, I don't think so. I don't like social chit-chat. Here, you can get right down to business and be very frank about topics without social ridicule. It's freeing, really.

b. Do you prefer this online interaction to real life interactions?

Definitely.

9. What other forum websites do you use?

None, as of now.

10. Are there any rules of the forum that a new person to the forum wouldn’t know? By rules I mean courtesy things like pointing out if sarcasm is being used, or how to use acronyms, or how to use smilies (emoticons), etc,.


Sometimes I get confused with sarcasm when it's in written form, but less so than others. It can cause a bit of a scuffle if one person doesn't know the other is joking. Usually works itself out. Also, I was advised I had to use less than 7 lines in my signature very early on. Additionally, I don't talk about my work, as it could reveal my identity to identity thieves.

Is there anything else you think I should know?

This is odd and it seems like you're looking to make a new forum about ASD/Autism/Aspergers, but we Aspies love to talk about things we know, and you caught me with this questionnaire. Are you trying to make a new forum?

1. Where are you on the spectrum?
I have asperger's

2. Are you a kid (your age is less than 13), teen (your age is 13 – 21), adult (your age is 22-60), or elderly (your age is 60+)?
Adult, 22

3. How long have you been using online forums?
Since 2005ish I think.

4. Do you interact with people better on the forums as opposed to in real life?
It is easier to start a conversation or steer it and say exactly what I mean to say, because I have more time to think about what to write and not the stress I have caused by the real life talking.
On the other hand all the disadvantages of forum talk compared to real life talk still apply; it takes longer, written words are more easily misinterpreted, etc.. I'm often also more comfortable talking to people I'm used to talking to in real life instead of talking to them through email or chat or forums, as that then feels unnatural.

5. Has the forums helped you in real life interactions? If yes, how?
Yes, it's practice for interacting with people.

a. Has it helped you improve your behavior?
I myself have never had a problem with my own behaviour.

b. Has it helped you understand other people’s viewpoints?
I've had more intimate conversations online than I usually have offline, which gave useful insight in how normal people work.

6. Are there any other ways you think the forums have helped you?
All in all I think I was less lonely because of them.

7. Are there any difficulties that you have in the real world that are overcome or not there when you use the forums?
I can't easily walk up to someone live and start a conversation. On forums I have more time and not the intimidating real live person.

8. Do you like that you can interact with other people who have autism/Asperger on forums?
It's not essential, I know enough autists to have that interaction offline.

a. Would you like this as much if you were interacting with them in real life instead of online?
More so. I like being around other people with autism because I tend to feel quite comfortable around them in much the same way I imagine normal people feel around other normals. I don't often have that experience, so I enjoy it.

b. Do you prefer this online interaction to real life interactions?
Only when I've had too much real life interaction.

9. What other forum websites do you use?
A minecraft one, although most conversation happens in chats outside the forum. I have been on more forums in the past but that has lessened.

10. Are there any rules of the forum that a new person to the forum wouldn’t know? By rules I mean courtesy things like pointing out if sarcasm is being used, or how to use acronyms, or how to use smilies (emoticons), etc,.
I don't know enough about this forum to tell.

Is there anything else you think I should know?
That this is way too vague a question.

1. Where are you on the spectrum? Somewhere in the middle I guess - moderate classic autism
2. Age: I'm 13
3. How long have you been using online forums? Since 8/28/13
4. Do you interact with people better on the forums as opposed to in real life? Yes, much better.
5. Has the forums helped you in real life interactions? If yes, how? Maybe a little just from online interacting with peers on two big teen forums.
a. Has it helped you improve your behavior? I don't think it's had much effect.
b. Has it helped you understand other people’s viewpoints? Yes
6. Are there any other ways you think the forums have helped you? Has helped me to say a lot of stuff to a lot of people I couldn't have otherwise. I'm actually popular and well liked on the teen forums - everyone knows me.
7. Are there any difficulties that you have in the real world that are overcome or not there when you use the forums? Communicating. I'm mostly nonverbal and withdrawn in real life.
8. Do you like that you can interact with other people who have autism/Asperger on forums? Yes and everyone else on my other forums as well.
a. Would you like this as much if you were interacting with them in real life instead of online? No and couldn't
b. Do you prefer this online interaction to real life interactions? As far as casual socializing, yes
9. What other forum websites do you use? GovTeen and VirtualTeen.
10. Are there any rules of the forum that a new person to the forum wouldn’t know? By rules I mean courtesy things like pointing out if sarcasm is being used, or how to use acronyms, or how to use smilies (emoticons), etc,.
The rules are spelled out pretty clearly and easy for me to follow. As for the rest, I just copied what the others who had been around for a long time were doing and looked stuff up like acronyms etc.

1. Where are you on the spectrum?

Not formally diagnosed, but I have most all the symptoms. Got through childhood without being diagnosed with any obvious issues, but I also had parents who were strict disciplinarians, so I really did a lot to restrain my "issues" growing up.

Clearly, I'd be a high functioning autistic.


2. Are you a kid (your age is less than 13), teen (your age is 13 – 21), adult (your age is 22-60), or elderly (your age is 60+)?

I'm 45.


3. How long have you been using online forums?

Since 1999 in general. Since 2010 (ish) for WP. Not long after I learned about AS.


4. Do you interact with people better on the forums as opposed to in real life?

Only in the sense that I can take the time to think out my statements before publishing them.


5. Has the forums helped you in real life interactions? If yes, how?

Hard to say. WP certainly has been informative.

a. Has it helped you improve your behavior?

It's helped me better understand how AS affect people who have it.

b. Has it helped you understand other people’s viewpoints?

Not really. I've already learned most of the hard lessons the hard way.


6. Are there any other ways you think the forums have helped you?

Knowing I'm not alone.


7. Are there any difficulties that you have in the real world that are overcome or not there when you use the forums?

I find it easier to connect with someone I don't know online.


8. Do you like that you can interact with other people who have autism/Asperger on forums?

Yes.

a. Would you like this as much if you were interacting with them in real life instead of online?

I'm not sure.

b. Do you prefer this online interaction to real life interactions?

Not really.


9. What other forum websites do you use?

Mostly motorcycle forums.


10. Are there any rules of the forum that a new person to the forum wouldn’t know? By rules I mean courtesy things like pointing out if sarcasm is being used, or how to use acronyms, or how to use smilies (emoticons), etc,.

New people need to learn to not take things so seriously on the Internet. Just as in life you need to have a bit of a thick skin, it helps to do the same online.

1. Where are you on the spectrum? Somewhere between the middle and the high end.

2. Are you a kid (your age is less than 13), teen (your age is 13 – 21), adult (your age is 22-60), or elderly (your age is 60+)? 18
3. How long have you been using online forums? a few years
4. Do you interact with people better on the forums as opposed to in real life? yes
5. Has the forums helped you in real life interactions? If yes, how? I don't think so.
a. Has it helped you improve your behavior? I don't think so.
b. Has it helped you understand other people’s viewpoints? a wee bit.
6. Are there any other ways you think the forums have helped you? no.
7. Are there any difficulties that you have in the real world that are overcome or not there when you use the forums? communicating is easier.
8. Do you like that you can interact with other people who have autism/Asperger on forums? yes.
a. Would you like this as much if you were interacting with them in real life instead of online? no.
b. Do you prefer this online interaction to real life interactions? yes.
9. What other forum websites do you use? a few others.
10. Are there any rules of the forum that a new person to the forum wouldn’t know? By rules I mean courtesy things like pointing out if sarcasm is being used, or how to use acronyms, or how to use smilies (emoticons), etc,. Not sure.

I'm a psychology student studying how people with autism and/or asperger's use forums and how it helps them. It would really help me understand this more if you all could answer my questions. I'd be really happy if you could help me out!

1. Where are you on the spectrum?
Autism Spectrum Disorder, Level 1 (colloquially but no longer officially called Asperger's).

2. Are you a kid (your age is less than 13), teen (your age is 13 – 21), adult (your age is 22-60), or elderly (your age is 60+)?
By your definition I am a teenager: 21.

3. How long have you been using online forums?
Exactly two years minus 13 days: see my WP join date.

4. Do you interact with people better on the forums as opposed to in real life?
Yes: online forums do not require the complex back-and-forth of live conversations, nor are there confusing facial expressions and gestures to interpret.

5. Has the forums helped you in real life interactions? If yes, how?
Sometimes: it gives me a place to vent to people who understand, thereby making me feel less angry with the rest of the real world.

a. Has it helped you improve your behavior?
No.

b. Has it helped you understand other people’s viewpoints?
A little, mostly the viewpoints of other aspies.

6. Are there any other ways you think the forums have helped you?
Nothing springs to mind.

7. Are there any difficulties that you have in the real world that are overcome or not there when you use the forums?
Again, not having to read faces or body language, and not having to monitor my eye-contact, as well as getting time to think about my responses are all benefits of the forum over the real world.

8. Do you like that you can interact with other people who have autism/Asperger on forums?
Yes, very much.

a. Would you like this as much if you were interacting with them in real life instead of online?
I don't know; I'd have to experience it to make the decision.

b. Do you prefer this online interaction to real life interactions?
Yes.

9. What other forum websites do you use?
None.

10. Are there any rules of the forum that a new person to the forum wouldn’t know? By rules I mean courtesy things like pointing out if sarcasm is being used, or how to use acronyms, or how to use smilies (emoticons), etc,.
Pointing out jokes and sarcasm is useful as it avoids misinterpretations. NTs who visit, don't get your feeling hurt if you come with a problem and expect an emotionally supportive response; you are more likely to receive posts about suggestions for fixing your problem: emotions are less useful and less intuitive than results to aspies.

Is there anything else you think I should know?
Keep studying; autism is a very deep and very broad field; if you really want to know more, you'll have years of research ahead of you. I've bee studying autism daily, in depth for over two years (books, blogs, academic research articles, live conferences, published studies, etc.) and I still don't know much in comparison to the available literature.