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I mean... that's literally the definition of "spectrum" From a few random dictionaries: >2. used to classify something, or suggest that it can be classified,

by astura 3y ago

I mean... that's literally the definition of "spectrum" From a few random dictionaries: >2. used to classify something, or suggest that it can be classified, in terms of its position on a scale between two extreme or opposite points. >a range of different positions, opinions, etc. between two extreme points ?????

burkaman 3y ago
That is what spectrum means, and some autistic people say the word is not applicable to the concept of autism.
twobitshifter 3y ago
Yes, that’s true from the dictionary and the article is one place where its use makes sense. However, usually people say “on the spectrum“ to mean someone is a high functioning autistic. That is something that isn’t a helpful definition.
- quickslowdown 3y ago
  This has always driven me nuts. We're ALL "on the spectrum," if you just stop and think for a moment before saying it. That's what a spectrum is.
crisply5706 3y ago
https://getgoally.com/blog/autism-spectrum-wheel https://getgoally.com/blog/autism-spectrum-wheel The naïve assumption is the spectrum is a binary more/less autistic. It very much is not.
plorg 3y ago
If you tried to quantify different people's experience of autism you could maybe compare people by the amplitude of their symptoms (say a maximum or average), but you'd get a much better idea of the range of experiences with something like a Fourier transform. Imagine different symptoms are different wavelengths of light. Different people experience certain elements of the constellation of symptoms that we can "autism" to different degrees. And the goal is not really to get anyone to be "less autistic", but to help them live in society (or to build a society that allows them to better join in).
atombender 3y ago
The medical use of the word "spectrum" doesn't always describe a continuum, but classification criteria along multiple dimensions. Autism is no longer considered a "position on a scale".

by astura 3y ago

burkaman 3y ago

That is what spectrum means, and some autistic people say the word is not applicable to the concept of autism.

twobitshifter 3y ago

Yes, that’s true from the dictionary and the article is one place where its use makes sense. However, usually people say “on the spectrum“ to mean someone is a high functioning autistic. That is something that isn’t a helpful definition.

quickslowdown 3y ago
This has always driven me nuts. We're ALL "on the spectrum," if you just stop and think for a moment before saying it. That's what a spectrum is.

crisply5706 3y ago

https://getgoally.com/blog/autism-spectrum-wheel https://getgoally.com/blog/autism-spectrum-wheel The naïve assumption is the spectrum is a binary more/less autistic. It very much is not.

plorg 3y ago

If you tried to quantify different people's experience of autism you could maybe compare people by the amplitude of their symptoms (say a maximum or average), but you'd get a much better idea of the range of experiences with something like a Fourier transform. Imagine different symptoms are different wavelengths of light. Different people experience certain elements of the constellation of symptoms that we can "autism" to different degrees. And the goal is not really to get anyone to be "less autistic", but to help them live in society (or to build a society that allows them to better join in).

atombender 3y ago

The medical use of the word "spectrum" doesn't always describe a continuum, but classification criteria along multiple dimensions. Autism is no longer considered a "position on a scale".