As promised at the conclusion of yesterday’s post, today’s will continue our conversation about the correlation between neurodivergence and tone of voice.
If you’re neurotypical, meaning you tend to process information ‘normally,’ it is quite possible you have had a conversation with someone neurodivergent and have walked away from the chat thinking the neurodivergent individual came across as a bit rude. If you were to ask the neurodivergent person if they intended to come across as harsh, they would arguably say no, and express that this was not at all their intent; rather, their tone of voice made it seem so.
I struggled to find much information about neurodivergence and tone of voice because the bulk of the information that appears upon trying to research it addresses autism. But, because autism itself is neurodivergent, please read the following information from authenticallyemily.uk.
“The tone of our voice might indicate rudeness. Take any sentence. Each sentence can be spoken aloud in so many different ways depending on where you place the emphasis. It’s incredibly difficult to ensure the emphasis is on the correct syllables and words to ensure the phrase comes our politely and not rudely.
“We also tend to say things very bluntly, because our thinking is so literal. This can be interpreted as rude. Our unfiltered honesty can get us into trouble. We say things exactly as they are. This can be hurtful, and I know this is something many of us work really hard on, because we don’t want to be hurtful.
“Our facial expressions can also convey rudeness. It can be very hard to ensure my expression matches what I am saying or the situation. I often get confused at what someone says, and this shows in my face. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been rude in this way,” the web page explains.
There is a stark connection between neurodivergence and tone of voice.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash
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