I read an interesting article on the BBC about how people form an impression as to whether someone they meet is trustworthy in less than a second largely based on their face and then on their facial expressions.
This was prompted by the TV show Traitors for those of you who follow it.
I thought this seems particularly relevant to autists who often have facial expressions that seem a bit out of place compared to neurotypicals and who can struggle with eye contact and even fidgeting while talking to someone.
www.bbc.co.uk/.../idt-5543014d-9451-4cbc-a400-8160ced87196
On spotting liars or untrustworthy people:
“We all think that we’re able to spot a lie because we look for signs like sweating, looking away, blushing, fidgeting, or other bodily cues. But the truth is, these cues are incredibly context-dependent and not reliable indicators of deception at all,” he says.
"Someone could be sweating or looking away simply because they’re nervous, shy, or anxious - not because they’re lying. Often, we misinterpret these signals because we expect them to mean dishonesty, when in reality, they’re just signs of discomfort or emotional arousal in a particular situation."
The article covers how wrong most people get it, but it is still a subconcious decision made by their mind so isn't really something they have much control over.
I think it does explain why many of us get picked out as different and shunned from social groups unless we mask heavily.
