Why Autistic Sociality is Different: Reduced Interest in Competing for Social Status

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Caldwell‐Harris, C. L. & Schwartz, A. M. (2023). Why Autistic Sociality is Different: Reduced Interest in Competing for Social Status. Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.9707/2833-1508.1145

Publication date: 13 Dec 2023 Added to AutiHub: 5 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
2
Publication authors identified as autistic
2 / 2 (100.0%)
  1. Catherine L. Caldwell‐Harris *
  2. Anna M. Schwartz *

Abstract

The complexity of human organizations poses the challenge of understanding and navigating social hierarchies. If 'social impairment' is a defining feature of autism, then these challenges may be heightened for autistic persons. We reject the premise of social deficits but follow recommendations to investigate how autistic social behavior diverges from neurotypical norms. We review autistic writings and also scholarship on reputation management, non-conformity and moral reasoning to argue that autistic people dislike social hierarchies, find status-seeking illogical, prefer egalitarian relationships, and often seek to report wrong-doing by authorities. We outline three possible causes: (1) reduced social motivation; (2) emergent property of monotropism, special interests and deliberative cognitive style; (3) enhanced motivation to engage in egalitarian interactions. Our account has implications for characterizing atypical sociality in autism. The field has been deficit focused, but our review highlights autistic social strengths (e.g., less selfishness, moral rectitude, fairness, honesty, loyalty). Our account has implications for understanding difficult passages of autistic life such as popularity contests in high school, mixed messages in the workplace, and unsatisfying social interactions between neurotypes.

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These indicators describe the cited bibliography imported for this publication. Cited-reference metrics use the cited-reference total as denominator. Cited-author metrics state whether they use all cited-author occurrences or only occurrences linked to authors already integrated in the AutiHub database. They use cached links between cited authors and authors integrated in the AutiHub database. Last computed: 16 Aug 2026 11:30.

Cited references
35
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
6 / 35 (17.1%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
6 / 107 (5.6%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 6 / 35 (17.1%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 4 / 101 (4.0%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
35 / 107 (32.7%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 31 / 101 (30.7%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
29 / 35 (82.9%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 29 / 107 (27.1%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 27 / 31 (87.1%).
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