Music and Neurodiversity: Embodied synchronization between non-speaking Autistic individuals

Repetition is a central organizational principle in our lives. From the earliest stages of life, infants match the delicate patterns of movement and expressions with their parents in what has been termed ‘communicative musicality’ (Malloch & Trevarthen, 2009), and as they grow older, attain communicative competence through repeating the words, gestures, and practices of their parents (Hymes 1972; Keenan, 1983). Appreciating the pervasive presence of repetition in daily interaction brings to light the frequently overlooked communicative practices of non-speaking autistic individuals. The manifestation of restricted repetitive behaviors, otherwise known as “stimming”, is phenomenon that clinically defines Autism. Comprising sequences of repetitive movement—swaying, rocking, flapping of hands, tapping—these behaviors have traditionally been conceptualized as anti-social, holding a reputation for being restrictive and rigid. Stimming, however, has been reported by Autistic individuals to instead bring both calmness and joy, having utility as a “natural” and “powerful” means of interpersonal connection. In this talk, I examine two cases of Autistic individuals stimming with others, one in a drum circle, and another on novel musical mats. I show that when augmented with sound, stimming can present temporal variations that strike a balance between stability and change. Autistic individuals fill their interactional spaces with theme and variation, rhythmic dialogue, polyrhythms, dancing, and varied tempos. Just as verbal and lexical repetition is central to the architecture of any communication system (Goodwin, 2018; Hopper, 2011; Rossi, 2020; Sidnell, 2014), in this talk, I argue that the repeated movements of autistic individuals constitute their own unique communication system. Examining how rhythmic flow can become social transformations reveals the “infinite variety” of Autistic musicality, present in their everyday movements as they connect with others.

Dr. Rachel S. Y. Chen is an Assistant Professor in Linguistics and Multilingual Studies in the School of Humanities at Nanyang Technological University. She specializes in interdisciplinary research and teaching focused on disability, embodied interaction, and design-based research. Prior to joining NTU, she pursued a Ph.D. in Special Education at UC Berkeley and San Francisco State University, studying the communicative practices of non-speaking autistic individuals. Her work integrates diverse methodological approaches, including Cognitive Science, Learning Sciences, Linguistics, EMCA, and Human-Computer Interaction, to develop ethical therapeutic tools for human expression and communication. Driven by a commitment to neurodiversity, she actively engages with the disability community, educators, and allied health professionals to bridge research and practical applications.