I'm actually fascinated by these men vs. women quizzes, mainly because I feel I am sort of a functional gender dysphoric. Basically, I identify as male, but I am very comfortable in my female body and have no desire to change it, and I also am sexually attracted to men but not women. So most people think I'm just a straight female who happens to be a tomboy, and I don't know how to really explain that being a "tomboy" just doesn't cover it. This topic has come up in several different places recently, mostly in my various poly mailing lists, but in personal conversations with friends too. So ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
omnifariousposted a quiz that is more than just some random kid making OKCupid quizzes that deals with differences in gender identity and raises the subject of Asperger's Syndrom (which I only recently discovered and strongly identify with ... but I hear that self-diagnosed AS people get a lot of shit from true-diagnosted AS people, so I won't go so far as to claim that I actually have AS ... just that it seems to make sense to me).
One of the things I'd like to see is a study done on whether there is a corrolation between the Meyers-Briggs NT type and people with AS, as it seemed to me on the very cursory reading I've done that many of the traits of AS are the same as my personality type of INTJ. With MBTI, they are merely personality traits, but with AS, they are "symptoms" of a neurobiological disorder.
Fascinating.
omnifariousposted a quiz that is more than just some random kid making OKCupid quizzes that deals with differences in gender identity and raises the subject of Asperger's Syndrom (which I only recently discovered and strongly identify with ... but I hear that self-diagnosed AS people get a lot of shit from true-diagnosted AS people, so I won't go so far as to claim that I actually have AS ... just that it seems to make sense to me).So, anyway, here are the results of my test:
http://glennrowe.net/BaronCohen/MaleFemale.asp
Systemizing quotient
Your score: 48
0 - 19 = low
20 - 39 = average (most women score about 24 and most men score about 30)
40 - 50 = above average (most people with Asperger Syndrome or high-functioning autism score in this range)
51 - 80 is very high (three times as many people with Asperger Syndrome score in this range, compared to typical men, and almost no women score in this range)
80 is maximum
Empathy quotient
Your score: 8
0 - 32 = low (most people with Asperger Syndrome or high-functioning autism score about 20)
33 - 52 = average (most women score about 47 and most men score about 42)
53 - 63 is above average
64 - 80 is very high
80 is maximum
Autism Spectrum quotient
Your score: 31
0 - 10 = low
11 - 22 = average (most women score about 15 and most men score about 17)
23 - 31 = above average
32 - 50 is very high (most people with Asperger Syndrome or high-functioning autism score about 35)
50 is maximum
Reading the mind in the eyes
Your score: 27
A typical score is in the range 22-30. If you scored over 30,
you are very accurate at decoding a person's facial expressions
around their eyes. A score under 22 indicates you find this quite difficult.
In other words, I am very good with systimizing and very bad with empathizing ... the two most common traits associated with males. And I am so extremely "male" in this respect that I actually fall out of the typical "male" range and into a category with a high proportion of people with Asperger Syndrome.
http://glennrowe.net/BaronCohen/MaleFemale.asp
Systemizing quotient
Your score: 48
0 - 19 = low
20 - 39 = average (most women score about 24 and most men score about 30)
40 - 50 = above average (most people with Asperger Syndrome or high-functioning autism score in this range)
51 - 80 is very high (three times as many people with Asperger Syndrome score in this range, compared to typical men, and almost no women score in this range)
80 is maximum
Empathy quotient
Your score: 8
0 - 32 = low (most people with Asperger Syndrome or high-functioning autism score about 20)
33 - 52 = average (most women score about 47 and most men score about 42)
53 - 63 is above average
64 - 80 is very high
80 is maximum
Autism Spectrum quotient
Your score: 31
0 - 10 = low
11 - 22 = average (most women score about 15 and most men score about 17)
23 - 31 = above average
32 - 50 is very high (most people with Asperger Syndrome or high-functioning autism score about 35)
50 is maximum
Reading the mind in the eyes
Your score: 27
A typical score is in the range 22-30. If you scored over 30,
you are very accurate at decoding a person's facial expressions
around their eyes. A score under 22 indicates you find this quite difficult.
In other words, I am very good with systimizing and very bad with empathizing ... the two most common traits associated with males. And I am so extremely "male" in this respect that I actually fall out of the typical "male" range and into a category with a high proportion of people with Asperger Syndrome.
One of the things I'd like to see is a study done on whether there is a corrolation between the Meyers-Briggs NT type and people with AS, as it seemed to me on the very cursory reading I've done that many of the traits of AS are the same as my personality type of INTJ. With MBTI, they are merely personality traits, but with AS, they are "symptoms" of a neurobiological disorder.
Fascinating.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 7/25/07 11:19 pm (UTC)From:a 31 on Systemizing quotient (average)
16 on empathy (very low)
28 Autism Spectrum
24 Eyes
no subject
Date: 7/25/07 11:45 pm (UTC)From:Hardly a statistically significant control group, but interesting so far :-)
no subject
Date: 7/26/07 01:20 am (UTC)From:I am going to take this test tho...
no subject
Date: 7/26/07 02:32 am (UTC)From:Which is one of the reasons why I am curious as to the corrolation between NTs and people with AS. Like I said, reading the list of "symptoms" just sounded like an NT personality summary, with varying degrees of extremity just like any MBTI type.
What makes something a "condition" or "syndrome" from just a variation of personality or physical health? That's a hypothetical question, based on several "syndromes" I have been accused of or suspected of over the years ... to me, they're all just quirks of being "me".
no subject
Date: 7/26/07 02:34 am (UTC)From:AND I have Weeklys for you!
no subject
Date: 7/27/07 02:10 am (UTC)From:I regularly score on pretty much autism test about halfway between normal and Asperger's. That is, I'm not actually "on the spectrum", but I'm as close to it as I am to an average person, which makes me different from each group, but feeling like I have a lot in common with autistic people. If autism were the norm, I'd probably feel a kinship with typical people, as they'd be the ones with the differences that I don't see in most people.
I personally view autism as closest to INTP, which I know is kind of weird with their desire for order and predictable schedules, but there's just so much similarity between INTPs and people on the autism spectrum.
However, autism involves several downsides. For example, autistics tend to view eye contact as hostile. It triggers the flight/fight reactions in their bodies. They tend not to have functioning mirror neurons. It's not just about having different priorities; it's about a brain that responds differently to stimuli.
Sometimes being "on the spectrum" isn't an issue, and really shouldn't be viewed as a disorder. If the person is able to function, then they're a person. But if they are a danger to themselves or others, then it should qualify as a disorder. And this can happen. We need to get better at teaching autistics to see how many of the limitations are differences and how many are inherent limitations. Many autistics cannot communicate much, many will never speak. However, some of them can learn to write/type and read. Some of them can learn sign language. The focus on verbal communication has been a real detriment to understanding autism.
I would say that you are closer to being autistic than most people are. Just as some people are more bi and some are less. The cut-offs for autism are even more arbitrary than for sexuality. But it's easy to think autism isn't a problem or that you are autistic if you're simply on the autistic side of the spectrum. But you're probably just closer to Asperger's than you are to normal. But maybe you would qualify for a diagnosis; I'm not sure, and I'm not sure it matters. But understanding it can be helpful regardless.
no subject
Date: 7/27/07 02:15 am (UTC)From:http://www.piepalace.ca/blog/asperger-test-aq-test/
I think I scored a 25 on this. I always score past what an average male gets on all of the tests I've taken, which is only weird in that I don't feel at all masculine. But then there's a difference between the stereotypical male brute (watches sports, drinks beer, leers at women, likes cars, etc.) and the stereotypical male intellectual (logical, rational, into science, etc.) and while I feel the latter fits, it doesn't feel masculine to me, it just feels intellectual/geeky.
no subject
Date: 7/27/07 03:59 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 7/27/07 03:57 am (UTC)From:I've always had trouble looking people in the eye and to this day it triggers a "flight" response in me ... I get very uncomfortable when people look me in the eye directly, even during conversation where it should be natural to look at the person you're talking to. My "social skills" are also all learned, the way I once learned piano or any other skill. But, as a kid, my quirks were tolerated and I learned it was in my best interest to either accept being a hermit or learn to cope with people at their level. Now, I hear there's a "syndrome" for it.
I agree with you that there is a spectrum and if a person can function, they're a person, but if they're a danger, it's a "disorder". I'm just curious as to where the cutoff is in the various "disorders".
I also have several "sleep disorders" and other "syndromes", but I appear to be able to function, so I'm curious about when it should be considered a "disorder".
no subject
Date: 7/27/07 08:03 am (UTC)From:Wow, you score way outside of average whereas I only score a little outside. That's kind of interesting. :-)
I also agree that we're taking personality types and diagnosing them instead of describing them. I don't like this as it feels like you have to conform to the 'norm' in even more ways. Why can't people just let people be who they are and figure out how to work with them?