took the "Reading the Mind in Films" test and "Empathy Quiz"

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I found this test odd.

One of the reasons I like movies and TV is that it telegraphs a story in a way that I can appreciate what is going one. Some characters constantly remain a cipher to me.

But I scored a 4.0 out of 22.

This doesn't surprise me for two reasons:

1) I've studied art for a long time and can see the faces when they are still. It's when it moves that I get lost. And, people are much more subtle than in acting.

2) I noticed that if I approached the test in two ways I could either fail or pass. Here are the examples:

(Fail) If asked to verbally describe what I saw on screen at that moment, I was flummoxed to describe or associate any real meaning other than the most gross examples (Smile = happy, Frown = sad).

(Pass) When looking at the test choices, it became an obvious choice, in that, when the person you're looking at isn't smiling and your choices are (1) Sad (2) Angry (3)Pensive (4)Happy Whatcha gonna choose?

Over 50+ years of doing 'life' I've picked up a bunch of cataloged information. It's help in my profession (Commercial Art and cartooning) Maybe that's why my cartoons are more expressive. More latitude to project my impression of facial extremes into the art.

Now, the Empathy Quiz was interesting as many of the questions boiled down to moral choices for me. For instance (Not a question as I remember, but an example of moral VS empathetic choices) I see someone get hurt. I feel bad. But I mostly feel bad because something immoral happened to them. My wife get's hurt (Through no fault of her own), I feel bad because she is about the only person I can feel empathy towards. This extends to mainly only family members, and not many of those. BUT, if my wife gets hurt (Because she did something stupid) I really feel no pain or remorse about it. This extends in equal measure to said family members. I have no idea how I would deal with something catastrophic. So, the above example is for the times she would bun her hand because she's not careful or something along those lines.

I also found a lot of the questions kinda strange, such as this one:
"Do your friends always talk to you about their problems?"
Why, yes...yes they do!! And it ain't because I have any empathy for them. It's because I shut down and they think I'm a 'good listener'. No, you dolt. I don't know how to respond to your complaints (And many times, just whining), don't know how to stop you and just stand or sit there while you carry on. I've learned how to feign interest enough to grunt every once in a while. I look away and they just blather on.

I do form attachments. And, it seems in some ways all that lack of whatever you would call it, that does not get used on the masses gets funneled into those few people. Kinda like trying to take a gallon of milk made to fill 20 sippy cups being poured into the 2 sippy cups I really like. It's usually strong...sometimes to strong for the average person. Again, my wife is an example. When we first got married (6 years ago) she accused me of controlling her actions because I needed to know where she was and when to expect her. It had to do with my need to plan. If she called and told me she would be late, I did not care. I heard the voice, I knew not to expect her and did not need to know what she was doing. Those constant checkpoints. Wasn't happy about the change though, but I kept that to myself. Actually would get really incensed that the schedule had changed, but wouldn't express that. She did her part. Part of the social contract we've developed.

Now, if she's late, I get real antsy. Punctuality is hyper-important to me. If she checks in, I can cool my jets (see above, social contract). It's all about the scheduling and planning. But, wow, can it really be taken wrong. Over the last 6 years, she has learned she has complete freedom and does not see my need for scheduling as controlling her, but instead, controlling my own environment. Perfect example:
I work at home generally (YAY!! !) and I tend to work until I realize I'm not feeling good. By that time, I've usually put in anywhere from 8 to 10 hours. That's when I eat.
Now, we have arranged for her to be home so we eat together (She is extremely extroverted and needs to be out, I, well, you know, like to be home, quiet and not around people. So, it works, believe it or not...well, until I have a meltdown which ain't pleasant for anybody.
But, I have to schedule that time to eat, which means I'm clock watching all day. Yes, I set an alarm because I know that is supposed to make me relieved....it doesn't...I still clock watch...dunno why. So, disruption in my concentration, which slows my work. All that attendant detail and interruption just to be blown off by being late. Well, we live in NYC. So, sometimes being late isn't avoidable. But, it doesn't preclude calling, or letting me know or whatever.

Mess with my schedule and it's not easy to be around me. Ain't easy to be me either.

I think I'm going to sign off now......what a rambling mess.......
I don't know if that makes any sense.

I tend to fail either way on such tests.

I see a certain face, and my first instinct tells me "this face is furious".
then i look at the options and get happy/sad/tired/flirting"well then, sad is the closest to angry, let's go with that".

result: wrong, the face was flirting...

Lucky i have trained myself to ignore facial expressions and go for more reliable information: pointing a knife at me = angry, kissing me = flirting, that kind of thing

unfortunately, those are the things that are also on the high extreme cases. Though I do tend to boil things down to such examples though. Subtlety is lost on me as well.

I'm still trying to decipher those scores.

Most of the scores are "Higher score Points to Autistic traits". But, if I read correctly, The faces tests and voice tests seem to be inverse of that. Lower scores are not good?

Here is a link to all my scores:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=64408&p=6857508#p6857508

I think I have it right. But, this would not be the first time I've flipped an express meaning inside out.

There is a link on page 47 of the Scientific Tests thread for an alternate testing series. It includes AQ-10, AQ, SQ/EQ, and reading faces in films. When I took the general reading faces thing, I score perfect or nearly perfect because the answers are relatively obvious (one drastically does not match the other type thing). But the reading faces in films was surprising for me, as I scored much worse than I would have anticipated. It combines the ability to read not just facial expression, but voice tone, and body language. Try that one out.

Try this link, it should work: http://asdscreening.appspot.com/

I went there. The thing I liked is that the tests appeared to have some double blinds built in to rule out other things such as OCD.

The thing I did not like is that is asked you to invite a parent or someone who knew you as a child. Now, how does it know me at a later time? I saw no logins or anything.

But, I took the tests and it seems to just confirm the above, but in greater detail. I'm going to see if this is at a place to register and track things so I can do the follow throughs.

I went back and did my own. I don't have parents that could do it for me. And it (somehow) didn't register my "Reading the Mind in Films" score (11 btw), and registered the "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" although I didn't take it.

It is somewhat comforting because I don't get pegged for BD, BPD, Schizophrenia, etc. Even though I have been evaluated in the past, it is a constant concern that I'm completely delusional, and my oddities are a result of me being crazy, not just wired differently.

As far as a double blind, yes, somewhat. If you know what the questions are asking for, you can easily manipulate your answers if you wanted to. Although I guess the same could be said of any testing platform.

I scored 8 in Reading The Mind In Films test and i am NT, so the results aren't very accurate

The test may be accurate or at least give an indicator. NT's can exhibit certain traits. It's just one part of an overall picture.

I couldn't really apply the words to the eyes at all - I don't think that anyone can read that much just in a picture of someone's eyes - can they?

Of course they can. Haven't you ever heard of the people who are exceptional sales/haggling experts? High level negotiators? They are called "Closers".

Turns out there are people who are very advanced on the ability to read micro-expressions and especially can read the eyes and how they react to external and internal stimulus.

There are people who are so good, they can actually know you have a problem with something before you are aware of it.

Edit: Oh yeah...Carnies, Barkers, Buskers, Con artists, grifters...the list goes on.