Basics

Autism theory is based on three areas:

• social psychology

  • of the unconscious
  • in -group/out-group distinction

• dialectical individual genesis* (dynamic developmental psychology)

The social psychology of the unconscious (see Bargh, J.; Hassin, R. et al. ) shows that people unconsciously orient themselves towards other people and their respective group. This occurs through facial expressions, gestures, imitation of speech and movement patterns , synchronization, and other means.

The social psychology of the in-group/out-group distinction, in turn, shows that groups differentiate themselves from other groups, among other things, through the shared patterns of these characteristics . And individuals identify themselves as belonging to or belonging to a group.

Dialectical individual genesis * shows that the differentiation of the individual occurs through (social) interaction with the environment. If this interaction is disrupted, differentiation (“development”) is also disrupted. (See also Vygotsky, Lev S. )

* I prefer the term “ individual genesis ” because the word “development” implies a theory of predetermination , as is also the case in the views of Piaget and Freud, among others.