Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026
08:01
Virtual Hand with Ambiguous Movement between the Self and Other Origin: Sense of Ownership and 'Other-Produced' Agency
Published on: October 28, 2020
All the workplace is a stage: extending the double empathy problem through performative relationality
Nicole M Reed1, Timothy J Vogus2
1Scheller College of Business, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States.
Frontiers in Psychology
|July 29, 2026
Summary
Neurodivergent adults face workplace relationship challenges. Performative relationality, a coping strategy, can cause misunderstandings even in same-neurotype interactions, highlighting the need for norm changes.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Neurodiversity Studies
Background:
- Neurodivergent adults often struggle with workplace relationships, impacting employment.
- Milton's double empathy problem suggests relational issues stem from differing neurotype expectations.
- Recent critiques question the universality of the double empathy problem.
Purpose of the Study:
- To address critiques of the double empathy problem by introducing the concept of performative relationality.
- To explore how neurotypical expectations influence interactions within both mixed- and same-neurotype dyads.
- To propose interventions for reshaping workplace norms and expectations.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical development drawing on expectancy violations, emotional regulation, and labor theories.
- Analysis of a lived work experience vignette from a neurodivergent individual.
- Conceptualization of performative relationality as a risk-responsive social performance.
Main Results:
- Performative relationality, driven by neurotypical norms, can lead to misunderstandings even in same-neurotype interactions.
- Fear of social sanctions compels neurodivergent individuals to adhere to neurotypical expectations.
- Even within-neurotype interactions may involve adherence to neurotypical norms to avoid negative consequences.
Conclusions:
- The concept of performative relationality offers a framework for understanding workplace relationship dynamics for neurodivergent individuals.
- Interventions are needed to mitigate the pressure to conform to neurotypical norms.
- Future research should investigate the efficacy of interventions aimed at creating more inclusive workplace environments.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Impression Management Techniques I: Managing Appearances
Appearance is a multidimensional aspect of self-presentation that encompasses observable attributes such as clothing, grooming, speech, and nonverbal behavior. These elements are often strategically managed to align with socially constructed expectations in different settings. For instance, individuals tailor their appearance during job interviews, social gatherings, or athletic events to meet the perceived norms of those environments.Contextual Adaptation and Social SignalsThe research...
01:12Strategies of Self-Presentation I: Strategic Self-Presentation
Strategic self-presentation refers to individuals' intentional efforts to influence how others perceive them. This process is employed in various social and professional settings, such as job interviews, dating, politics, and legal contexts, where individuals seek to shape impressions to gain social or material advantages. While people generally present themselves in ways that align with their authentic characteristics, external factors, such as cognitive load, can hinder their ability to...
02:34Empathy
Some researchers suggest that altruism operates on empathy. Empathy is the capacity to understand another person’s perspective, to feel what he or she feels. An empathetic person makes an emotional connection with others and feels compelled to help (Batson, 1991). Empathy can be expressed in several ways, including cognitive, affective, and motor.
02:57The Sense of Self: Reflected Self-Appraisal and Social Comparison
According to Charles Cooley, we base our image on what we think other people see (Cooley 1902). We imagine how we must appear to others, then react to this speculation. We don certain clothes, prepare our hair in a particular manner, wear makeup, use cologne, and the like—all with the notion that our presentation of ourselves is going to affect how others perceive us. We expect a certain reaction, and, if lucky, we get the one we desire and feel good about it. But more than that, Cooley...
01:23Actor-Observer Effect
The actor-observer effect, a cognitive bias closely linked to the fundamental attribution error, refers to the tendency for individuals to attribute their behavior to external, situational factors while explaining others’ behavior in terms of internal, dispositional traits. This asymmetry in attribution significantly influences social perception and judgment.Cognitive Mechanisms Behind the EffectTwo primary psychological mechanisms contribute to the actor-observer effect: differences in visual...
01:14Impression Management Techniques IV: Altercasting
Altercasting is a strategic communication technique in which an individual imposes a specific identity or social role onto another person to influence their behavior and shape the interaction. By presuming a role—such as “responsible leader” or “patient person”—altercasting encourages the target to conform to that identity, often aligning their behavior with the expectations associated with the role. The power of this tactic lies in its subtlety; once a role is assigned, it becomes socially...