Does anyone else mimic NT behaviors and responses?

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Benbob
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17 Jun 2011, 4:11 am

I find I am periodically emulate NTs in my daily life, it seems to work and increases the rate at which I am accepted socially and can sometimes pass for a NT. However the downfall is that I need to 'rehearse' responses to conversations that I am likely to have during the day, which can often lead to me using the wrong emulation.

For example, in the super market, when the checkout chick says something like "have a nice day" Sometimes I use my "I'm good thanks [use a small nod], [briefly look them in the eyes and begin elevating the pitch of my voice] how are you?" line... which results in a confused look. I tend to employ the wrong response more if I'm stressed or distracted by something.

Does anyone else here emulate NTs?


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Chummy
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17 Jun 2011, 6:26 am

I used to but now I don't because I don't care. I am myself and I don't copy others.



MollyTroubletail
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17 Jun 2011, 6:49 am

I emulate NT's so much that I accidentally take on their particular mannerisms when I speak to anyone. This is okay most of the time, but in certain situations when they are an authority figure, I emulate their authoritative mannerisms also, and that leads to some interesting situations and rhetorical questions such as "do you know who you're talking to?!" or sheer astonishment.



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17 Jun 2011, 6:53 am

I don't do that anymore. I just be myself. If people don't like it, that's their problem. I'm not going to talk like a Valley Girl to impress 90% of the human population.


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Benbob
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17 Jun 2011, 6:23 pm

MollyTroubletail wrote:
I emulate NT's so much that I accidentally take on their particular mannerisms when I speak to anyone. This is okay most of the time, but in certain situations when they are an authority figure, I emulate their authoritative mannerisms also, and that leads to some interesting situations and rhetorical questions such as "do you know who you're talking to?!" or sheer astonishment.


Do you find it difficult when surrounded by contrasting personality types? I sure do.


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izzeme
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18 Jun 2011, 7:11 am

Benbob wrote:
MollyTroubletail wrote:
I emulate NT's so much that I accidentally take on their particular mannerisms when I speak to anyone. This is okay most of the time, but in certain situations when they are an authority figure, I emulate their authoritative mannerisms also, and that leads to some interesting situations and rhetorical questions such as "do you know who you're talking to?!" or sheer astonishment.


Do you find it difficult when surrounded by contrasting personality types? I sure do.


sounds familiar; although i usually only take on their general demainour and type of humour, which makes it easier on me since there is only 1 such type in a group (displayed at least).
if there are several conflicting 'absorbables' though; i indeed get confused and i need to either lockdown or physically get away from that place...



MollyTroubletail
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18 Jun 2011, 7:20 am

Benbob wrote:
Do you find it difficult when surrounded by contrasting personality types? I sure do.


If surrounded by a group of people, the social complexity is so far beyond me that I go completely mute and inert, even if they are not of contrasting personality types. Or I will attempt to single out the least popular person there and talk to them, and only them.



abc123
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18 Jun 2011, 4:51 pm

I mimic people and try and fit in with particular groups. E.g. at work both women like cats and rose wine and my boss likes weddings and babies so will talk happily about these things. One shakes her hand a lot to emphasize points and I'm trying not to. I got lots of mileage in being a kind of support group moaning with one about our boss. I don't like kids, but grit my teeth and say nothing or show a vague interest if I'm with parents and their kids as they are obsessed with them and wouldn't go down well to say what I really thought.



kahlua
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20 Jun 2011, 5:55 am

Benbob wrote:
Does anyone else here emulate NTs?


Yes. This is how I've managed to hold a job for the last 4 years. I don't get it right all the time, but its just enough to get by. However the NTs still know something isn't right, but I think they just put it down to being shy, weird and boring (Because I don't talk about myself and don't ask about their life)



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20 Jun 2011, 8:18 am

I was never aware of doing so, but I was talking to this very 'normal' girl extensively when milling about before my geography exam, and about halfway through the conversation I got anxious as heck, so I physically thought "OK, OK, I'm someone else *thinks of someone else 'normal' I know whom I admire*" and acted exactly like them.

Worked a charm. Weird.



Damiano
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20 Jun 2011, 7:32 pm

That's exactly how I learned to behave like an NT. All throughout high school I'd watch the popular kids and how they interacted and took mental notes and would test them later. Took ages to learn to do it properly and act like an NT. It was so draining though.... Always needed a huge recharge after the social interaction. Now because I've had to do it so much the past few years It's become habitual and I don't need to think about it as much. I've always wondered if anyone else was ever able to obtain these NT behaviours also?

BUT, there are some personalities that I find VERY difficult to interact with and respond appropriately. If someone is sarcastic a lot or unpredictable (e.g., like the type of person that will pat you on the back really hard and laugh and I'll have no idea if I'm suppose to laugh, be angry, pat him back, etc) I find it very difficult to know what to do and my thinking process comes back.



anneurysm
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20 Jun 2011, 10:54 pm

I do...and have found that will even adopt the mannerisms of people I've met over the years.
I have my friend H's laugh, my former roommate S's habit of ending sentences with "...ya know?" and numerous other ones.
I learned it through observing patterns and commonalities in interaction...which, I guess, is how NTs do it.
The only difference is, I learned all this from ages 16-20...whereas NTs would likely pick it up when younger.

And yes, since most of it feels like I am reading off a script, I have used the wrong script more than a few times...but usually end up laughing it off.

My most recent one: I was checking in at a hotel earlier this month. The front desk guy said 'Enjoy your stay!' and I responded with 'You too!'. Immediately realizing my mistake, I added "Oh yeah, you work here!" and we laughed it off.


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20 Jun 2011, 11:40 pm

anneurysm wrote:
I do...and have found that will even adopt the mannerisms of people I've met over the years.
I have my friend H's laugh, my former roommate S's habit of ending sentences with "...ya know?" and numerous other ones.
I learned it through observing patterns and commonalities in interaction...which, I guess, is how NTs do it.
The only difference is, I learned all this from ages 16-20...whereas NTs would likely pick it up when younger.

And yes, since most of it feels like I am reading off a script, I have used the wrong script more than a few times...but usually end up laughing it off.

My most recent one: I was checking in at a hotel earlier this month. The front desk guy said 'Enjoy your stay!' and I responded with 'You too!'. Immediately realizing my mistake, I added "Oh yeah, you work here!" and we laughed it off.


I have made the "you too" script mistake alot. Like when the grocer says thank you, comeback again. I say "you too" but I dont joke it off, I just walk away feeling stupid. It seems that I have small talk scripts which get me through the day so I avoid talking about concemplationg the univese while analyzing my naval lint to random strangers


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21 Jun 2011, 7:06 am

Like other people already said, I emulate people to the degree that I unconsciously copy their mannerisms and patterns of speech. Sometimes I even mimic their body language so much that it's commented on. After twenty years of practicing I can pass for 'normal' most of the time in short one-on-one interactions, but once people have spent more time with me they invariably realise there's something a bit 'off' about me.

I hadn't thought about it before but maybe that's why I always feel very uncomfortable and clam up in group situations - because I'm not sure who to mimic and I know it would come across as weird if I switched from mimicking one person to mimicking another...

As to what people said about sometimes using the wrong response and feeling stupid, I used to do that too and any time I made a mistake and said something weird, I'd go over and over it in my head and feel all embarrassed and stupid about it for days on end. But I've now learned to just laugh them off and not be too concerned, which is how confident and happy NTs react to their own social mistakes. More emulation, yes. It's quite funny really...