we developed the ability to read nuances in faces and tone, and through this we formulate a “theory of mind”2 about those we interact with. The human deftness at reading people is most visible in its absence. Those who fall on the autism spectrum often struggle with exactly this. They often don’t look others in the eye and can’t read the social cues transmitted by faces or tone.3 This language that seems so natural to most people can be a struggle for them to learn. The rest of us read those cues constantly and largely unconsciously.
