Can't read emotions = Aspergers?

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I am pretty much not able to read people's emotions - I rarely get any sense of them at all, so that I'm unable to determine a lot of what's real and not real in communication, and what is really being said. For example, someone told me the other day "I really value your friendship" - but my reaction was emotionally neutral and I couldn't tell if she was serious or joking or just trying to make me feel good or what. I do like this person, and I would count her as a friend - but because I can't read what she's feeling I don't know if she's for real or not.

Is this part if aspergers, or something else?

was this person trying to sell you something or trying to get something mercenary out of you? if not, then chances are she was on the level. it took me decades just to learn that.

According to Simon Baron-Cohen (and others) impaired empathy is associated with several conditions and Asperger syndrome is one of them. If I remember correctly, Autism/Asperger syndrome was the only condition that wasn't a personality disorder in what Baron-Cohen's work discusses.

Here is a presentation that probably summarizes Baron-Cohen's book about empathy that I read:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq_nCTGSfWE

I wouldn't take SBC too seriously. Some autistic people are low in empathy and others are high. It's not diagnostic, but is part of the stereotype. And stereotypes about autism are often dead wrong and harmful, too. (Plus they tend to be sexist.)

My question is: are you neutral because you don't sense anything, or do you just need more detail in order to know or sense what this person is talking about? For me, it can take me a long time to figure people out and figure out what they mean. I need the detail you get after getting to know someone over several months or so (depending). Then I can figure things out in my gut.

I recommend checking out the five stages of dating in Mars and Venus on a Date (John Gray). The first four stages work for other relationships/work etc, too, and he goes into how you really don't know about people/relationships until you give them enough time to sink in/develop etc. I used to "know" things based on superficial associations, but didn't really, and was often wrong about people. In other words, time tells.

Very helpful. Thanks.

Very helpful. Thanks.