I think that those who thought “NP type” was the likely diagnosis were really thinking of a “very socially aloof NP individual”, who in our model would be an N−P type. These individuals are typically borderline or “successful” autistic individuals, some of whom are consider to be “autistic savants”.
But from the point of view of behavior and gestalt, the N−P type and the NPA= type are very similar, including speech hesitancy. A way to make the diagnosis would be to look at the subject’s first degree relatives (parents, siblings, children). If the relatives included lots of NP types, then N−P type would be likely, whereas if some of the family members clearly had A− trait, then NPA= would be more likely.
Interestingly enough, about a third of subjects taking the online NPA test who report “Autism/Asperger syndrome” as the diagnosis give test results of NP type with very high S score (>70), which are indistinguishable from the test results of NPA= type. I suspect that most of these subjects are actually N−P types rather than NPA=.
Another factor to be taken into consideration is that Alexander is not speaking in his native language, so this may have accentuated the speech hesitation.
Looking through my “retrospectoscope” of anecdotal evidence, I did in my high school days have a fellow student who fit the N−P picture quite well. He was tall and thin, had careful handwriting, and had speech hesitation, even selective mutism (sometimes when asked a direct question by the teacher in class he would remain mute). I don’t recall that he had any unusual talents, and he chose to attend a state teacher’s college on graduation.
For those interested in a good biographal vignette of an N−P type, I suggest (despite the needlessly pejorative title) the book on the famous physicist: The Strangest Man: The Hidden Life of Paul Dirac
Yes, maybe it is time for the “COVID 2020 Competition”. I’ll see what I can come up with for a video competition.
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