Empathy Toward Inanimate Objects in Individuals with Autism

While it is important to establish healthy boundaries, anthropomorphism is not inherently harmful and can play a supportive role in emotional and social development.

Empathy toward inanimate objects in individuals with autism (ASD)

Introduction

The terms anthropomorphism and object personification will be used synonymously in this article to refer to the “attribution of human characteristics to non-human agents” (Negri et al., 2019; White & Remington, 2019). While this experience is not uncommon in the general population, research suggests individuals with ASD may exhibit greater anthropomorphic tendencies, and these tendencies may be more prevalent (Clutterbuck et al., 2021). For many, it seems to serve as a source of companionship, comfort, and predictability – especially for those who report higher feelings of loneliness or desire for control (SkyCareABA, 2024., White & Remington, 2019).

Conventional understanding suggests that individuals with ASD struggle with perspective-taking and interpretation of social cues. However, Negri et al.’s (2019) study proposes that social motivation in ASD may not be diminished, but rather less restricted to human agents. Many participants described meaningful emotional connections with objects, framing them as supportive of their need for social connectedness. White & Remington (2019) further supports this, as highlighted by the “object-centred empathy” that they frequently identify in the literary works of writers with ASD. This concept of “object-centred empathy” aligns with Negri et al.’s (2019) argument suggesting that social motivation in ASD can be directed toward non-human agents, offering a valid form of emotional connection.

Benefits & challenges

This brings us to an important question: Is anthropomorphism inherently problematic? Must it be “cured”? The answer is no.

While it may not align with typical social behaviours, anthropomorphism is not necessarily maladaptive – and in fact, may offer several benefits, including:

• Emotional or sensory comfort

• A sense of familiarity and consistency

• A means of emotional expression or processing (e.g., confiding in a comfort item, similar to writing in a diary or ranting to a friend)

• Encourages communication and social skills development

• A safe and predictable space to explore social skills before applying them in interactions with people, who are often more complex and unpredictable

(Negri et al., 2019; SkyCareABA, 2024). 

Importantly, individuals who personify objects are often aware that these objects (anthropomorphized agents) likely do not possess real thoughts or feelings (Negri et al., 2019). However, anthropomorphism can become concerning when it begins to interfere with daily life or development.

Professional support may be helpful if:

• The behaviour becomes obsessive or begins to impair functioning (SkyCareABA, 2024)

• Socialization or development is hindered by a strong preference for objects over people (Negri et al., 2019)

• It contributes to hoarding behaviours (Negri et al., 2019)

Conclusion

Anthropomorphism or object personification can be seen as a form of empathy, albeit expressed in an unconventional way. For individuals with ASD, this tendency often brings a sense of comfort and security, and it is important to validate their experiences. While it is important to establish healthy boundaries where necessary (SkyCareABA, 2024), anthropomorphism in itself is not inherently harmful and can even play a supportive role in emotional and social development.

Written by: Jia Hui

Reference

Clutterbuck, R.A., Shah, P., Leung, H.S., Callan, M.J., Gjersoe, N., & Livingston, L.A. (2021, September 18). Anthropomorphic tendences in autism: A conceptual replication and extension of White and Remington (2019) and preliminary development of a novel anthropomorphism measure. Autism, 26(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613211039387 

Freepik. (n.d.). Daughter helping packing the boxes [Photograph]. Freepik. https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/daughter-helping-packing-boxes_8622863.htm

Negri, O., White, R.C., & Remington, A. (2019, December 13). A friendly article: The qualitative investigation of anthropomorphism in autistic and nonautistic adults. Autism in Adulthood, 1(4), pp 286-296. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2019.0027

SkyCareABA. (2024, October 22). Exploring autism and attachment to objects. https://skycareaba.com/exploring-autism-and-attachment-to-objects/ 

White, R.C., & Remington, A. (2019). Object personification in autism: This paper will be very sad if you don’t read it. Autism, 23(4), pp 1042-1045. https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10053878/1/Personification%20in%20autism_final%20accepted.pdf