02-02-2008, 08:48 PM
I don't smile very much, but I'm actually in a really great mood. One day I'm going to say to the next smarmy Chesire cat who tells me to "cheer up love - it might never happen"... "well I've just met you so it already has"
02-02-2008, 08:48 PM
02-07-2008, 07:54 PM
I'm NT and I usually only smile at people I know or that I see often. Usually the only time I smile at strangers is if they smile first and then only if their not scary 
I do sometimes smile at strangers if I have to interact with them -- for instance the kids bus drivers or when I meet their new teachers etc. or if I'm meeting someone new. Its a way of saying Hi I'm friendly 
I do sometimes smile at strangers if I have to interact with them -- for instance the kids bus drivers or when I meet their new teachers etc. or if I'm meeting someone new. Its a way of saying Hi I'm friendly 02-18-2008, 09:58 PM
Peter Wrote:
I don't have the slightest idea why NT:s smile so much. Personally, I can never interprate a smile "properly". Is the person smiling because I look dumb or said something "wrong" or "funny"? Or is the smile meant as a friendly gesture? Or is it polite, meant to put me at my ease? And how the hell do you tell the difference between the various types? They all look the same to me, possibly excepting a slight change in the wrinkles around the eyes.
When I smile in a general conversation with NT:s in everyday life, I just fake all my smiles into an approximation of what the "typical" NT smile tends to look like. I also try to smile at what I judge to be the "appropriate intervals" in the conversation, based on what I've gathered from watching NT:s converse with each other. I have no idea if I'm doing it properly or not. Most likely not.
I notice most NT:s always appear to have a slight smile on their faces when talking to each other, even if the other person isn't saying something funny. If I could just be myself in a conversation, that's when I'd smile myself; if the other person said something funny and I was amused. I don't understand always smiling at the other person, regardless of the topic. What if the topic is serious? Or sad? Maybe it is just a way of being non-threathening, I don't know.
When I smile in a general conversation with NT:s in everyday life, I just fake all my smiles into an approximation of what the "typical" NT smile tends to look like. I also try to smile at what I judge to be the "appropriate intervals" in the conversation, based on what I've gathered from watching NT:s converse with each other. I have no idea if I'm doing it properly or not. Most likely not.
I notice most NT:s always appear to have a slight smile on their faces when talking to each other, even if the other person isn't saying something funny. If I could just be myself in a conversation, that's when I'd smile myself; if the other person said something funny and I was amused. I don't understand always smiling at the other person, regardless of the topic. What if the topic is serious? Or sad? Maybe it is just a way of being non-threathening, I don't know.
Well Peter I'm not in autistic spectrum but belive me manny times I dont know why people smile.
Somethimes some people take they're smile on faces just to look how friendly they are but on the contrary I know they aren't and than I fell annoyed with they're irritating ROBOT- tipe smile.
As I posted in my post in support I dont know yet if my son is an autistic(waiting for diagnose) but what u told me reminded me again on his reaction when I laugh.
When he saying something to amuse me and when it's funny normally I laugh but then he put his hands on my face and sayin Daddy dont laugh.But point of all his story was to made me laugh and than when I do, he doesn't know if I laugh to him or to story that he just told me.
So You reminded me on him .Please tell me what should I do if he tells some funny story?
Thanks!
02-19-2008, 07:37 AM
I'm a NT and I've noticed that some people on this forum like Moo for example, get annoyed when people interpret them not smiling to be sadness. It's really not our fault. Smiling is a built in aspect of human beings. Smiling serves as a sign that we're not threatening and that everything is alright. Most people walk around smiling without even realizing it. When we smile at someone, we expect a smile in return. This behavior begins as a baby when a baby smiles and then receives a smile in affirmation. If that doesn't happen, the baby will often begin to cry because it believes that something is wrong. The same thing happens as adults. When someone fails to return a smile, we assume something is wrong. Depending on a number of other factors, we will either believe the person is sad, and therefore needs to be comforted, or a threat, and therefore needs to be dealt with. It's completely instinctual.
Distinguishing between these two possibilities can be difficult, but there are a number of hints:
If the person does not smile and has a strong posture and meets your gaze, then they are usually considered to be threatening.
If the person does not smile and has a weak posture and does not meet your gaze, then they are usually assumed to be sad.
Distinguishing between these two possibilities can be difficult, but there are a number of hints:
If the person does not smile and has a strong posture and meets your gaze, then they are usually considered to be threatening.
If the person does not smile and has a weak posture and does not meet your gaze, then they are usually assumed to be sad.
02-29-2008, 09:52 PM
This is my first post, a supposed NT. Don't know if it here or on WP, but I saw a cool link today that looks at this issue in a unique way.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/m...ys/smiles/
Anyway, I smile when I'm enjoying life, don't have to be about anything or anyone, just grooving, like when I'm walking my dog and the air feels clean and good, and then, even my dog is smil'n...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/m...ys/smiles/
Anyway, I smile when I'm enjoying life, don't have to be about anything or anyone, just grooving, like when I'm walking my dog and the air feels clean and good, and then, even my dog is smil'n...
02-29-2008, 09:54 PM
opps, link is wrong,
"m...ys" is supposed to be "minds"
"m...ys" is supposed to be "minds"