Tiny facial movements could help better understand social communication in autistic individuals

Rutgers UniversityApr 9 2025A study led by Rutgers University-New Brunswick researchers suggests that tiny facial movements – too slight for the human eye to notice – could help scientists better understand social communication in people with autism.Published inFrontiers in Psychiatry,the studyfound that while individuals with autism express emotions like everyone else, their facial expressions may be too subtle for the human eye to detect.Autistic individuals use the same basic facial movements to express emotions, but their intensity often falls outside the culturally familiar range that most people recognize. This disconnect can lead to missed social cues, causing others to overlook or misinterpret their emotions."Elizabeth Torres, psychology professor, Rutgers School of Arts and SciencesThe researchers said individuals on the autism spectrum – especially those who cannot speak or require significant support for movement – alsomay have more unpredictable and varied facial expression...