Author: Andrew Main (Zefram) <zefram@fysh.org>. Date: 2003-01-30. Abstract:
Allism is a congenital neurological disorder adversely affecting many areas of brain function. The condition is not widely known, having been only recently identified. This article is an introduction to allism, describing the mental and practical effects of the condition, and giving an overview of the current medical understanding. This article is aimed at the general public, though medical professionals may also find it a useful starting point.
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As a contribution to the academic study of allism, I'm planning to write a paper examining one of the most fundamental and most intriguing aspects of allism: the abnormal emotion processing. This study should provide a starting point for organised analysis of allistic people's abnormal social behaviour.
If you yourself are allistic, I would like to hear what it is like to experience allistic emotion processing, and especially allistic empathy, first hand. If you know someone who is allistic, then feel free to pass on this call for information. I can be contacted by email at <zefram@fysh.org>. Please indicate whether you prefer to receive acknowledgement or to remain anonymous in the event that your insights appear in the final paper. Anonymous submissions are acceptable, but I have found that a dialogue is usually much more productive than a one-sided submission.
Allism is being studied by the Institute for the Study of the Neurologically Typical.