 Hey Psych2Goers, this is part two of five myths about autism. If you wanna watch part one, check the link in description. With that said, here are five myths about autism, written by our autistic specialist writer and based on research into the most common myths among the public. Number one, the empathy myth. On any list of autistic traits, communication and emotion will be mentioned. Unfortunately, early researchers only saw the most extreme cases and got the wrong idea about the seemingly flat tone of voice and facial expressions. This led to continued misunderstandings about how autistic people feel empathy. Research shows that empathy actually has two components. Cognitive empathy is the ability to understand another person's thoughts, desires and beliefs. And effective empathy is the drive to respond to another person's emotional state. On average, autistic people demonstrate a lower cognitive empathy than control groups. But the effective empathy is the same. In other words, autistic people always care about what you're feeling, but they don't always recognize what emotion you're feeling or why. The link between emotional feelings and emotional expressions can be disconnected in autistic people. So when they do respond to another person's emotions, the results can appear flat or unaffected on the outside, but be assured, they're likely feeling a lot on the inside. Number two, the behavior myth. Were you ever thrust into a completely unfamiliar setting as a child? The results can be stressful for anyone and autistic people are no exception. A lack of understanding about autistic stress response has led to continued misconceptions about what these behaviors really mean. In the ignorant early days of autism research, autism was mistakenly thought to be a variation of schizophrenia and defined by negative behaviors. Some people can be anxious about unfamiliar behaviors and demonize what they don't understand. We now understand that autistic people are likely to have other conditions like sleep problems, anxiety and depression to be overwhelmed by their surroundings or to have difficulties communicating their wants and needs. This leads to constant stress and frustration which can manifest in unhealthy and unpredictable ways. Don't be fooled. The real challenge of autism isn't the outward appearance of behaviors. It's the underlying friction between the individual and a stressful environment. Number three, the friend myth. Making new friends can be tough, right? For those who find it really tough, there can be a temptation to just give up. This kind of social isolation can give off a misleading impression that's out of tune with their real desires. The misconception that autistic people don't want friends has led to self-fulfilling prophecies where other people don't reach out to autistic people because they assume it will be unwanted. In reality, many autistic people desire social relationships but they find it challenging to maintain stable, high-quality friendships. Even worse, a majority of autistic adults have reported that their childhood interactions included traumatic events, exclusion and bullying which can lead to self-isolation out of fear. Autistic people feel loneliness like everyone else but creating meaningful connections requires supportive friends with a true understanding of autistic differences and needs. Number four, the intimacy myth. If making new friends is tough, finding a partner is even tougher. There's a similar misconception to the previous one that can lead to even more ignorance of autistic people's wants and needs. The misconception that autistic people aren't interested in intimate relationships is another form of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Unfortunately, some parents of autistic children who face daily challenges can be anxious about the future and be in denial that they will become adults with even more challenges. They can deliberately ignore any possibility of intimate relationships as a way of insisting that they'll be children eternally. By refusing to give them any awareness or guidance, these parents set them up for failure and sabotage any possibility of adult relationships which gives off the wrong impression. In reality, autistic people desire intimate relationships like everyone else but they're exhausted and confused by the complex expectations and interactions involved. The uncertainties can be overwhelming and can also lead to withdrawal and self-isolation. And number five, the life trajectory myth. Charities aimed at helping autistic individuals often emphasize the most sympathetic cases. While this practice is well-intentioned, it can lead to some people getting the wrong idea. If I asked you to picture the typical autistic person in your mind, what kind of person do you envision? Is it a young child? Although children can be autistic, there's a false impression that only children can be autistic which leads to the misconception that autism can be outgrown. This false impression is caused by the availability heuristic, a mental shortcut where people think that more memorable cases are more typical or important. In reality, autism can be found across the entire lifespan but adult cases are not publicized as often as childhood cases. This affects funding and adds to the challenges of autistic people growing up as they often become ineligible for support services once they become legal adults. But even when support goes away, autism doesn't as it's a core part of a person's being. So there you have it, 10 myths about autism. The next time you see a claim about autism, pause for a second and reflect on whether it might be a misconception before deciding to accept it or not. Even better, like and share this video to help spread correct and respectful knowledge about autism in society. Research shows that pre-bunking misinformation is more effective than debunking it. Meaning that it's best to spread corrections throughout the public before the misconceptions reach them. And you can help us with that. Thanks so much for watching and we'll see you next time.