In phenomenology, embodied attunement refers to the way in which individuals experience the world through their embodied interactions with the environment. This includes the physical, sensory, and emotional aspects of our interactions with the environment. Embodied attunement involves a reciprocal relationship between the body and the environment, where the body is attuned to the environment and the environment is attuned to the body (Merleau- Ponty, 1962; Varela, Thompson and Rosch, 2017; Gallagher and Zahavi, 2020; Gallagher, 2022).
PsyArXiv Preprints | Smart Environments for Diverse Cognitive Styles: the Case of Autism
This section defends that Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) can be described and understood as embodied misattunement with a neurotypical (sociocultural) environment (Bolis et al., 2018; Bolis, Dumas and Schilbach, 2023).
PsyArXiv Preprints | Smart Environments for Diverse Cognitive Styles: the Case of Autism
Phenomenologists posit that embodied attunement is a fundamental aspect of our experience of the world, as it allows us to navigate and interact with our surroundings in a meaningful way (Fuchs, 2002; Gallagher, 2008).
PsyArXiv Preprints | Smart Environments for Diverse Cognitive Styles: the Case of Autism
In conclusion, ASC can be understood as embodied disattunement with a neurotypical environment, such that individuals with autism may experience difficulties in their sensory, emotional, and bodily interactions with the environment, which can result in a broad array of challenges, including understanding and responding appropriately to social cues, regulating emotional responses, and processing sensory information.
PsyArXiv Preprints | Smart Environments for Diverse Cognitive Styles: the Case of Autism
