"mind reading"?

I would argue that the pheromones and fields are forms of language too.

Both autistic and non-autistic people read other people's minds. Autistic people are usually able to communicate using language they have been explicitly taught.

This Cambridge "mind reading" program (which is now available online - https://resources.autismcentreofexcellence.org/p/mindreading-all-level-bundle) explicitly teaches facial "phrases" that communicate the emotion currently in someone's head.

spectrumz80 said:

Humans can read the minds of others, it's called "communication". It does need some sort of language to transfer the meaning between brains though.

Physiologically there are pheromones as well, along with electromagnetic and quantum fields etcetera, which animals are more sensitive to more generally.

Humans can read the minds of others, it's called "communication". It does need some sort of language to transfer the meaning between brains though.

At first I thought that might be a bit of humour (some NT people thrive on using euphemisms and subtle body language and then expect everyone to 'get' what the heck they are on about). But I think it might be referring to this:

https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Simon-Baron-Cohen/Mind-Reading-Emotions-Library--The-Interactive-Guide-to-Emotions/11693298 

It looks like it might have been a new idea ten years ago or something....

Some years ago I was a research subject of Dr Rebecca Brewer. Took part in three or four studies focusing on alexithymia. She and her team used facial expressions images (from Radboud Face Database) in some of the sessions. I often found them difficult to distinguish. 

I remember that some sessions were quicker, some faces were shown sideways, upside-down, and so on. I did one session with EEG cables attached to my head. Weird though it sounds it was quite good fun and they paid for travel plus a bit of pocket money. Rebecca herself is very pleasant.

https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/en/persons/rebecca-brewer

The theory seems to be that seemingly some people only focus on certain parts of the face and miss some of the 'signal' so they (we) misread the emotion.

Personally, I am sceptical about the whole "emotion" thing and so I'm also dubious about a 'tool' which relies on a consensus about what 'emotions' look like, based on photos. 

Personally, I think emotions are either positive or negative, or neutral. (This is what is called 'vedana' in Pali, which Buddha taught more than two thousand years ago.) All the other 'shades' are those things mixed together. I think we can get by with the primary colours but NT people have a richer 'palette' of colours.

If you run away from a twig glimpsed on a jungle footpath, because you think it is a snake, you might feel foolish but your very quick (mis)reading of the situation maybe keeps you alive. That was the emotion of fear doing it's work. The person who hangs around while their logical mind kicks in, instead of obeying the crude 'run away' response, might end up with their foot amputated.

Emotions are short-cuts that activate the body before the brain can kick in.

Sorry to waffle ;-)

Welcome to this site and I hope that you do find the support, encouragement and answers to your questions. I have not heard of mind reading used in the context of understanding or recognising emotions. Particularly for a person with autism. My son has severe autism and cannot understand emotions himself. - He has severe learning disabilities as well - There are techniques often quoted as beneficial, Nuro linguistic programming (NLP) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapies (CBT) which is used correctly can help a person to identify various emotions and how to manage them. These techniques are dependant upon a person being able to explain 'how' they feel in various situations and why, and this can lead on to developing a plan of action to overcome intense emotions such as anxiety, or depression or even happiness. If a person, like our son, is unable to explain their own emotions and feelings in these situations, we have to do that for him by way of using his body language in various situations to know if he is comfortable or not. I think offering you this tool in itself without that explanation is not very helpful and maybe a first action on your part could be to go back to whoever explained this to you and ask them to explain. I would add another slant to this and that is that a person with autism, needs society to understand their understanding of the world and it is 'they' who should be taking time to understand and leaning how to express themselves in a way that can be understood. Good luck with this and I would be delighted to hear how you get on for those of us who also do not really understand what was suggested to you. 

Wrenginald said:

Could someone explain the 'mind reading' concept?

"Humans cannot literally read the minds of others, but can create mental models so as to effectively intuit people's thoughts and feelings. This is known as empathic accuracy, and it involves “reading” cues telegraphed by the words, emotions, and body-language of another person."

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/mind-reading

I don't know, but I would take this to be a fairly weak reference to our sensitivity, mimicry and intelligence combined to appear that we can read other's minds,?

I am myself a very aware person, so in a group for example (if I haven't run away) I am usually reading people, patterns and masking based on the group dynamic or taking my lead from the 'most socially adept' member of the group to ensure my position isn't nullified... this can perhaps be seen as being one step ahead?

But I'm trying to stop this behaviour, after 40 years it's difficult, but am getting better at being myself even if that doesn't fit the situation because, well, I'm a human and fitting in isn't as important to me as it used to be so I'm articulating my rights by all accounts

Some people think of autism as a superpower but I didn't know that involved mind reading 

Genuinely I've no idea what they mean., Link for anyone else that may have any suggestions:

https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/family-life-and-relationships/making-friends/autistic-adults