Computational Phenomenology of Temporal Experience in Autism: Quantifying the Emotional and Narrative Characteristics of Lived Unpredictability

TL;DR

This paper addresses core temporal disturbances in autism by integrating phenomenology and computation. It combines a structured interview method (TATE), a large ASC autobiographical corpus, and a replication of a narrative sequentiality measure to quantify lived temporality. Findings show that unpredictability in time has strong negative valence in autistic language, with outliers like precipitously, unpredictably, and abruptly highlighting abrupt transitions, while autobiographical narratives overall resemble neurotypical discourse, supporting authenticity rather than fabrication. The work demonstrates a viable computational phenomenology framework that connects first-person temporal experience to large-scale linguistic data, offering a novel lens on emotion, time, and identity in autism with potential for broader applications in neurodiversity research.

Abstract

Disturbances in temporality, such as desynchronization with the social environment and its unpredictability, are considered core features of autism with a deep impact on relationships. However, limitations regarding research on this issue include: 1) the dominance of deficit-based medical models of autism, 2) sample size in qualitative research, and 3) the lack of phenomenological anchoring in computational research. To bridge the gap between phenomenological and computational approaches and overcome sample-size limitations, our research integrated three methodologies. Study A: structured phenomenological interviews with autistic individuals using the Transdiagnostic Assessment of Temporal Experience. Study B: computational analysis of an autobiographical corpus of autistic narratives built for this purpose. Study C: a replication of a computational study using narrative flow measures to assess the perceived phenomenological authenticity of autistic autobiographies. Interviews revealed that the most significant differences between the autistic and control groups concerned unpredictability of experience. Computational results mirrored these findings: the temporal lexicon in autistic narratives was significantly more negatively valenced - particularly the "Immediacy & Suddenness" category. Outlier analysis identified terms associated with perceived discontinuity (unpredictably, precipitously, and abruptly) as highly negative. The computational analysis of narrative flow found that the autistic narratives contained within the corpus quantifiably resemble autobiographical stories more than imaginary ones. Overall, the temporal challenges experienced by autistic individuals were shown to primarily concern lived unpredictability and stem from the contents of lived experience, and not from autistic narrative construction.

Figures (6)

• Figure 1: Distribution of positive and negative sentiment across temporal categories.
• Figure 2: Average sequentiality by history size for the ASC Autobiographical Corpus.
• Figure A1: Seven dimensions of temporal experience as measured by TATE on three scales (Frequency, Intensity and Impairment).
• Figure A2: Group differences in TATE item scores (5.f. and 6.k.) between ASC and control group.
• Figure D1: Distribution difference between positive and negative sentiments.