Feeling Time Differently: Autistic Temporality, Self-Care Technologies & Social Imaginaries of the Good Life

Dominant cognitive theories of autism often emphasise a deficit-oriented perspective, framing challenges in social communication, perspective-taking, and emotional comprehension as impairments in Theory of Mind. This narrative reinforces autistic people’s mental health struggles, as prevailing accounts of social difficulties frequently overshadow the nuances of autistic lived experiences. This thesis moves beyond deficit-based characterisations by conceptualising autism as a form of life that Ian Hacking describes, wherein autistic temporality represents an alternative mode of being – one shaped by a misalignment between the autistic body’s rhythms, embodiment, and intersubjective connectedness within a predominantly neurotypical world. Through an analysis of human-technology entanglements, particularly digital self-tracking tools, assistive technologies, and alternative communication strategies, I argue that autistic individuals engage in an ongoing (re)configuration of temporal experiences – both accommodating and resisting neurotypical pressures of immediacy, synchronisation, and productivity. Attending to the alternative temporalities and rhythmic particularities of autistic embodiment reveals broader contingencies within the spectrum of the human condition, fostering reflections on a renewed social imaginary of neurodivergence and harmonised coexistence. Theoretically, this study integrates phenomenologically inspired approaches to time and temporality with insights from symbolic interactionism, critical disability studies, and the sociology of the good life. I draw on Thomas Fuchs’s conceptualisation of mental health conditions as disruptions of synchronization to situate autism within a temporal framework that unites the associated themes. This research offers an experimental intervention into the lived realities of autism, positioning time as a key dimension of autistic subjectivity. Methodologically, I adopt an autoethnographic approach from the perspective of a wounded researcher, informed by my self-discovery and recovery trajectory following a formal autism diagnosis. My fieldwork is based on 32 in-depth semi-structured online interviews with highly abled autistic adults in the UK, a group whose struggles often remain obliterated by their perceived success. By triangulating these interviews with my own self-narratives, I highlight the paradox of perceived ability – revealing how highly abled autistic individuals continue to experience social exclusion, vulnerability, and barriers to accessibility, despite their achievements. My procedural exploration of autistic temporality unfolds in three interconnected parts: 1. (Digital) self-tracking practices, DIY infographics, and mediated visibility – examining how autistic individuals externalise cognitive labour, emotionality, and communicative preferences through assistive technologies, prompting a critical reflection on the ethics of care. 2. Temporal (de)synchronisation and autistic camouflaging – proposing five typifications of autistic time expressions: speeding up, winding down, temporal (dis)continuities, and intersubjective (de)synchronisation. This section critiques the pressures of fitting in, exposing the interdependencies between autistic individuals, care provision, and assistive/self-tracking technologies. 3. Autistic people’s search for the good life – challenging ableist assumptions about social participation and productivity by exploring how self-determined temporalities shape autistic individuals’ everyday life, emotionality, and sense of belonging. This discussion advances practical adjustments for a neurodivergent-friendly sensory environment that prioritises inclusivity and specific sensory needs. Ultimately, this thesis provides sociological insights into the disparity between autistic people’s potential, structural obstacles, and actual life outcomes in adulthood. By theorising autistic temporality as both an alternative mode of being and a site of resistance, this work reimagines the intersection of autism, time, and technology – not as compensatory mechanisms, but as tools for reclaiming agency, reconfiguring visibility, and constructing a more inclusive social world.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Cambridge

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Tam, Wing Man Sherita

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• McPherson, Ella

• Autism
• Time
• Everyday Technologies
• Emotionality
• Good Life
• Self-Tracking

Licence

• https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/735cbba9-9b90-447b-b467-acad0ff67e43/download
• http://purl.org/NET/rdflicense/allrightsreserved

Language dc:language

eng

Author Identifier

0009-0005-0052-5231

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/393965