The bystander effect suggests that we’re generally less inclined to intervene in a situation if other people are present, as we assume that someone else will always step forward instead. Research from York University suggests, however, that people with autism are less likely to suffer from this. This means they’re less likely to sit by as gross misconduct, or even general mistakes.

“Our study shows that to the extent that they would act if they saw something wrong, employees with autism were much more likely to intervene, regardless of the number of people present,” the researchers explain. “And in situations where they would not intervene, they were more likely to identify the influence of others as the reason, whereas neurotypical employees were more reluctant to acknowledge this.”

Speaking up

In the study, 33 employed individuals with autism were joined by 34 neurotypical counterparts to share their thoughts on various made-up situations. These scenarios covered issues like inefficiency, unfairness, and quality problems.

Although the findings are still in the early stages, the researchers stress the practical importance of their work. This is particularly relevant because unemployment and underemployment rates for people with autism can be as high as 90%, and even with higher education, the figure only drops to around 70%.

“We’re looking at this from two angles. One is looking at helping organizations be more ethical and efficient, but also, helping people like myself — people on the spectrum — find gainful employment by helping to change the societal understanding of autism,” the authors conclude.

“Having people around who are willing to blow the whistle, so to speak, is very important for organizations.”