First Advisor
Debi Elliott
Date of Award
Summer 8-16-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Psychology and University Honors
Department
Psychology
Language
English
Subjects
autism, film, social cognition, double empathy problem, nonverbal communication, pilot study
Abstract
From research and lived experience we can see a pattern of Autistic people engaging and forming connection with emotional narratives in media, despite stereotypes suggesting they lack empathy or theory of mind. This mixed-methods study sought to lay the groundwork and start preliminary investigation into how film’s structured formal elements may facilitate autistic viewers’ interpretation of social cues that typically challenge autistic-allistic (nonautistic) communication in real life. A sample of 22 participants (13 autistic, 9 allistic) viewed five film scenes depicting lying, flirting, sarcasm, exposition, and flat affect and completed a survey. Both quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed. While the small sample size influenced the statistically nonsignificant results, qualitative analysis of responses suggested parity between groups in recognizing nonverbal social dynamics like lying and flirting. If this holds at scale, it could indicate that the deliberate execution of formal elements in film may aid cross-neurotype understanding. Though underpowered, this study offers a starting point for future research on how film might bridge real-world communication gaps between autistic and allistic individuals.
Recommended Citation
Gomez, Lux, "Cinematic Empathy: Autistic Interpretation of Social Cues in Narrative Film" (2025). University Honors Theses. Paper 1753.