What does it mean to be social?

1. What does it mean to be social?

2. About me….. Alison Schroeder Speech & Language Therapist & Primary School Teacher

3. www.sociallyspeaking.co.nz

5. Social Thinking Michelle Garcia Winner www.socialthinking.com

6. TheJournal of Autism and Developmental Disorderspublished a report on methodologies specifically addressing deficits in the social thinking process, finding that they are successful at teaching the ability to interact socially in people with social limitations who have near-normal to way above-normal intelligence.

8. Autism Spectrum Disorder

9. Social Understanding

10. Cannot be assumed that a student understands how their behaviour affects the perspective of others Difficulty seeing the “gestalt” Cannot be assumed that a student understands how their behaviour is linked to the consequences

11. The sum of the parts = the whole

12. To be ‘social’ we need to consider and respond to the perceived thoughts and emotions of others.

13. Social Thinking

14. Social thinking happens.... when you are with other people Computer games when you are alone when you are being quiet in a group of people when you are reading a book or watching t.v. Writing an email at the gym In the supermarket Social Networking Face book

15. Standing still “Might not like people” “Angry” “Shy” “Talking about something that they are not interested in” “New” “Anxious” “Don’t know what to say” “Don’t understand”

16. Expected behaviours Unexpected behaviours Vs

17. Expected behaviours Help a person to learn to be seen in a positive light by others. People have ‘normal’ thoughts about you Workshop Classroom Hanging out

18. Expected Behaviours Constantly change according to age, culture, situation and familiarity Toilet humour Frustration Laughing

19. Friendships

20. Unexpected behaviours People can have uncomfortable or unusual thoughts about person Religion Wedding dress Mini Golf

21. Thoughts Opinions Judgements No one wants really wants to judge but we all do it without thinking – e.g. appearance, things people say and how they act

22. Teach the social brain to figure out other’s points of view Better problem solving how to react and respond Big jigsaw puzzle that never ends

23. 2003 Research Frostig Center of California

24. “Friendship is unnecessary like philosophy, like art. It has no survival value; rather, it is one of those things that give value to survival Friendship ” C S Lewis r

25. Developing Friendships and Relationships • Friendship even for the most capable of us, requires hard work • Depends on a foundation of many skills built upon previously acquired skills • Learner needs to understand the function of that skill on a personal level and how it applies to their life

26. People who make us feel good about ourselves • We want to share space/time with • Consider as friendly and over time think of as friends • Close friends do this over and over over periods of time • Close friends share common interests, trust each other and enjoy being with that person

27. Friends • A friend is someone you feel pretty good about being around • Real friends make you feel like you have something to offer them • Feeling good with another person is difficult to define • Not simple – have to show interest in them and them in you

28. Social Memory We don’t remember exactly what people say or do to us but we do remember how they make us feel

30. Professor Haslam, University of Exeter

31. Five year study of 650 stroke patients (Professor Haslam, University of Exeter) • Those part of close-knit social group were significantly less likely to suffer a second life-threatening problem over a given period of time • Social isolation doubled the risk of a secondary, life-threatening event e.g. heart attack

32. I like to be alone... • We are all members of the human race and in our society we have to interact with others in order to survive • Need to balance time alone/social interaction. We all have different levels

33. Developing the root system

37. Games Playgrounds Play dates Communication

39. Teenagers “I would that there were no age between ten and twenty three.. For there is nothing in between but getting wenches with child, wronging the ancientry, stealing, fighting…” Shakespeare (The Winter’s Tale; Act III)

40. Social thinking • Think about people near us • Try to remember what we know about them • What do they feel about what you’re saying? • What are you doing to show you are interested?

41. Emotions/Emotional Regulation (Mehrabrian, reported in Nowicki & Duke 1992) Emotional meaning is expressed: 55% facial, postural, and gestural 38% tone of voice

42. Think with your eyes • Lets others know you are paying attention • Have to watch to figure out what they are saying/meaning e.g. Look at clock – thinking about time Guy looking at girl – thinking she’s cute

43. Eyes • Constant eye contact = creepy • Generally look for a second or two then look away. Keep looking back to capture more information

44. Language • Helps explain our point of view, share feelings, opinions and won thoughts on the world. • People only want to consider what we have to say about things if we don’t offend people who are listening • Avoid download

45. Practice • Make mistakes – we all do • All misjudge social situations or motives from time to time • Learn to laugh at oneself • Even those good at social skills mess it up from time to time

46. Teens • Dinner • Organisation – emailing/texting • Quiz night • Games evenings • Specific social skills • Joke telling

47. What does it mean to be social? To be ‘social’ we need to consider and respond to the perceived thoughts and emotions of others.