Could someone explain "scripting"

[Pariah Dog]

I have head scripting mentioned across this site and through other sources. I think it is something I probably take part in to some degree but can't really find a satisfactory explanation as to how it works. I gather a list of appropriate responses to things others say. But I feel there is more to it than that which I'm missing.

Some enlightenment?

 

[Thursday]

Oh, depending on the context, it can be about programming language or someone's handwriting. Fancy handwriting comes to mind in particular.

 

[Pariah Dog]

Oh, depending on the context, it can be about programming language or someone's handwriting. Fancy handwriting comes to mind in particular.

Oh a wise guy....er um girl, I see

 

[Jet Weiss]

"Scripting," as far as I know, is what it is called when we (people on the spectrum) repeatedly quote our favourite lines from movies, television shows, songs, adverts, comic books, etc.

I do this a lot IRL, not so much on here.

 

[Mia]

Scripting in aspergian parlance refers to the dialogues we have memorized and recite to ourselves in readiness for social situations, business and work. They are the steps we reiterate in order to do, say or perform something before and after it's accomplished. To not make a mistake or a faux pas, we'll often stay awake with our brains churning, to figure out every possibility of anything that could or could not happen.

There are social scripts, conversation scrips, work scripts. Things we figure out beforehand or after, working out conversations in retrospect. What did they mean when they said that? Did they mean this? Or that? There are the nervous scripts, attempting to account for every eventuality, or possibility. They are the dialogues of our conscious and subconscious minds to a real extent.

 

[Alaska]

The word scripts has a meaning to NTs that Aspies usually miss. I have seen references to it elsewhere, but this is what I found just now:

7 End-of-Relationship Scripts to Help You Call It Quits | HuffPost

When you have something difficult to say, you can prepare scripts that make it easier. I usually ask an NT to check my script for problems if needed. This can keep me from saying something that will have an effect I did not intend.

 

[Alaska]

Can't edit the above now, so I need to add that I was not familiar with Aspergerian scripting as a term. We seem to share parts of it with NTs. I was already doing it before I knew I was an Aspie.

 

[Jet Weiss]

I apologise if the information I provided was incorrect, that was just how my therapist described "scripting" to me when she pointed out that I do it.

 

[Mia]

I apologise if the information I provided was incorrect, that was just how my therapist described "scripting" to me when she pointed out that I do it.

Jet, it could likely apply to both of our answers correctly. Scripting in general can be the things you've mentioned as many aspies say those things. Specifically they are the 'rehearsed' things we practice whether they be music lyrics quotes or favourite sayings, in social and other situations as well as the figuring out of 'new' situations that might scare us. We learn and use scripts to prepare for them, as well as in ordinary everyday ones.

 

[Alaska]

I apologise if the information I provided was incorrect, that was just how my therapist described "scripting" to me when she pointed out that I do it.

I do not think your definition is incorrect. It is probably an instance of Psych jargon using the same word for a slightly different meaning.

It is good for Aspies to be aware of such things. It can make communication a bit less confusing.

 

[Maelstrom]

I have head scripting mentioned across this site and through other sources. I think it is something I probably take part in to some degree but can't really find a satisfactory explanation as to how it works. I gather a list of appropriate responses to things others say. But I feel there is more to it than that which I'm missing.

Some enlightenment?

Maybe? what Mia said...preplanning for social conversations so they go better...I call it modeling as in building a model of a future event so less surprises happen. Modeling frees up your brain from having to analyze the social situation as much giving you more brain room to watch for face details and such...without overloading and going into shutdown.
It can also be like making stock social phrases to show empathy like saying
"Oh! I'm sorry that made you feel bad"
and other sympathetic phrases, or signs of agreement, or just little remarks to show you are listening to them.

Maybe Mia knows more on this than me?

 

[Thursday]

Oh a wise guy....er um girl, I see

Whoops, apologies I was not really aware there was another definition. Literal brain at work! I really didn't know (now I do).

 

[Alaska]

Maybe? what Mia said...preplanning for social conversations so they go better...I call it modeling as in building a model of a future event so less surprises happen. Modeling frees up your brain from having to analyze the social situation as much giving you more brain room to watch for face details and such...without overloading and going into shutdown.
It can also be like making stock social phrases to show empathy like saying
"Oh! I'm sorry that made you feel bad"
and other sympathetic phrases, or signs of agreement, or just little remarks to show you are listening to them.

Maybe Mia knows more on this than me?

The first time that I ran across this with understanding was in a small business class. We wrote "elevator speeches" to pitch our desired business in a short, succinct way. We were told we were writing scrips for our elevator speeches.

It occurred to me at the time that one could write scripts for other situations. I was already doing a version of this for a few situations, but this use of it in the class spurred me on to doing it a lot more.

 

[Momo]

Scripting from what I heard is when you memorise a whole bunch of nerdy quotes, then spit them out like a hyped-up Star Trek fan. It's generally an aspie thing from what I know.

 

[Alaska]

"Scripts" and scripting seem to have applications in the NT world, as well as to us.

The English language uses the same word for different things sometimes. It happens more with jargon.

This can be extra confusing to literal-minded Aspies, but we just have to deal with that. It helps to be aware of it, so we can lighten our confusion.

I plan to keep scripting and I am going to use it like an NT and skip the nerd phrases. I like to use it for difficult moments so I can fake being an NT when I need to. Passing as an NT takes preparation.

 

[Streetwise]

i think its also a coping mechanism for anxiety

I have head scripting mentioned across this site and through other sources. I think it is something I probably take part in to some degree but can't really find a satisfactory explanation as to how it works. I gather a list of appropriate responses to things others say. But I feel there is more to it than that which I'm missing.

Some enlightenment?

 

[Judge]

Scripting?

The short answer: Developing preconceived responses in anticipation of having to placate Neurotypicals in a known, upcoming social interaction.

You develop your own "script" as best as possible to avoid having to fall back on impromptu responses in a real-time conversation. They can be a few words, phrases or even paragraphs if you can recite that much dialogue in your head.

It's not intended for just any conversation though. Usually something that you know is likely to come up, and to be able to keep it brief.

Part of the process of mimicking NTs.

 

[xudo]

From what I understand, it's both coming up with scripts in the sense of ways to mimic NT behaviour, so already having a script of things to say in certain situations...and being able to recite stuff from programs/books/whatever you're interested in. My husband and I do the second one a hell of a lot. Other people often don't get what we're on about, even if they've seen the show, because apparently most people cannot/do not remember whole sections of script from stuff like we do.

 

[SchrodingersMeerkat]

I think it's where you don't use your own words. You quote things you've heard or read other people say to say what you mean. Used to do it all the time myself and had several movies and stories memorized word for word in case I needed to "borrow" something when talking to people.

 

[Mia]

and being able to recite stuff from programs/books/whatever you're interested in. My husband and I do the second one a hell of a lot. Other people often don't get what we're on about, even if they've seen the show,

We use to do that quite a lot with Monty Python, Hitchhiker's guide, and Star Trek. Most of our friends did the same thing.