Stereotypes May Help Autistic Kids

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Stereotypes are so easy to learn, even autistic children pick up on those based on race and sex, according to a study published in the journal Current Biology.

Kids with autism are profoundly unable to engage in typical social interaction and cannot understand the beliefs, desires or intent of others, the study says. However, stereotypes, which don’t require high-order thought, are so easy to learn that researchers believe they may be able to use them to teach social skills, according to the study.

Not all stereotypes are negative, researchers caution.

“Stereotypical roles are important for navigating everyday interactions,” says Lawrence Hirshfeld of the New School for Social Research in New York. “Finding a plumber would be difficult if we thought of people as only unique individuals. Getting through the checkout lane would be unwieldy if we didn’t have simple scripts about the roles that both shoppers and cashiers play.”

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