Can you read facial expressions?

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It's a very common symptom of Autism that we're not very good at reading facial expressions. I know I'm not. Are you?

Most of us can't read subtle facial expressions. It's connected with us lacking TOM (theory of mind), which is the ability to ascribe mental states to other people. I don't understand most facial expressions.

Being older than both posters on this thread, I have the experience to read facial expressions, but too often after the fact. The problem in realtime conversation is that frequently this kind of subtle cue slips right by me. I realize what was going on after the fact, when I have time to analyze the situation.

This is one reason why I like conversing over the Internet. I don't have to worry about such things while on here. Also, instead of being obligated to respond immediately, as in verbal conversation, I can take a minute or two to go over what has been said carefully, which helps ensure I respond appropriately.

Nope. But that's a mixture of ASD and visual impairment.

I don't do too badly with facial expressions either. Well, I can recognise all forms of non-verbal visual language, like body language, facial expressions and tone of voice, kind of all in one really, and then it gives out a signal of how someone is feeling or whatever.

I've always been quite quick to recognise body language and facial expressions, for as long as I can remember. I think it's just a trait I haven't got. That doesn't make socialising any easier though, except when people are throwing banter at me (an insult they don't mean) I can understand that I'm supposed to laugh, which I do.

I do okay with some facial expressions, but I can't always tell what a person is feeling if their facial expression is blank. Besides, I don't always give eye contact, so that could also be why I have some trouble sometimes.

I have a similar problem of recognizing the cues after the fact, but mostly if I'm involved in a conversation with more than one person or if I'm in a chaotic/unfamiliar environment.
In normal conversation I can pick up the changes and even the emotions they are indicative of, but I usually have a hard time linking why the change happened. Unfortunately, especially if someone starts looking upset, my first thought is usually that I did something to trigger the change.

Last edited by NEtikiman on 03 Jun 2013, 6:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

The big basic ones are easy; smile, cry, laugh.

I can see the facial expressions, but there is no meaning to them. To me it's just natural expression as a conversation progresses and changes. Other than happy / upset, I get no other communication through facial expressions.

I do see smirks, and know what they mean.

I struggle with reading facial expressions, and also body language. I don't usually look at people's faces, but I definitely feel clueless when trying to read expressions. It makes it a lot harder to respond to some situations or expressions appropriately or without having to ask a lot of questions. I have to clarify a lot of things, too. (such as people's emotions about things or "was that a joke?") I hope that with practice I can make some improvement on reading expressions at some point in the future. It gets frustrating.

To an extent. It depends how well I know the person I'm looking at.

I can read my mother's facial expressions reliably. Other family members with a bit less accuracy, but still all right. Anyone else's, I can read the most obvious emotions, such as extreme distress, excitement, happiness, fury, exhaustion.

I can always tell if an actor in a movie is acting poorly, though, or if they're doing a good performance. Odd, that.

I can somewhat but I dont really look at peoples faces

I can read some expressions, but it's too painful for me to look someone in the eye, especially since the last person I looked in the eye was my father, almost 40 years ago when I was one of 2 featured soloists (the other being my cousin) for my high school band's night of music. Dad was up front with Mom and the rest of my brothers. I locked eyes with him during my solo, and he was, as usual, making a jackass out of me. It made me totally screw up my solo. It didn't help that, during intermission, I was backstage with the band director and the assistant band director, trying to decompress, and both directors weren't too pleased, although they were trying to hide their displeasure.

Mom tried to allay my already hurt feelings, but the damage was already done. Again, no matter how hard I tried, I somehow or the other screwed everything up again.

I can read some expressions, but it's too painful for me to look someone in the eye, especially since the last person I looked in the eye was my father, almost 40 years ago when I was one of 2 featured soloists (the other being my cousin) for my high school band's night of music. Dad was up front with Mom and the rest of my brothers. I locked eyes with him during my solo, and he was, as usual, making a jackass out of me. It made me totally screw up my solo. It didn't help that, during intermission, I was backstage with the band director and the assistant band director, trying to decompress, and both directors weren't too pleased, although they were trying to hide their displeasure.

Mom tried to allay my already hurt feelings, but the damage was already done. Again, no matter how hard I tried, I somehow or the other screwed everything up again.

I'm only able to see the most obvious extremes such as happiness, sadness, anger... the ones that produce strong and dramatic facial expression. Otherwise the more subtle expressions seem impossible for me to detect.

I definitely can. I just don't make as much eye contact as NTs do so I could miss a micro-expression when I'm looking away. Other times I just pick up a general aura of emotion from from people from quick glances and/or voice tones. I'm more often confused by people's words than by their non-verbal expressions.

Frowns, smiles, laughter and crying, maybe even an onvious suprised look (raises eyebrows and eyes open wider,) you know, very obvious ones. Im very good with visual facial expressions better than body language, i try to notice when someone is making a body gesture but, its hard, i cant tell whats good, bad or what means what or even what is considered a gesture.