Observing the Maxim of Quality: Examining an Autistic Doctor’s Conversations in an American Television Series, The Good Doctor

Abstract

Studies of Autism Spectrum Disorder have focused exclusively on how the Gricean Maxims are violated in persons with autism. Investigators typically draw the plausible conclusion that individuals with ASD are deficient in pragmatic ability and theory of mind, communicating in patterns that deviate from the norm. A few studies have investigated how autistic people observe the Maxim of Quality when examining communication difficulties of individuals with ASD. This study thus examines conversations involving Shaun-the main character with ASD in "The Good Doctor"-and his observance of the Maxim of Quality. Data came from the eighteen episodes of Season One. Results show that the Maxim of Quality is a dominant feature of the communication patterns of individuals with ASD. Shaun's observance of the Maxim of Quality has four distinctive features, in that he: (1) responds without concern for the listener's face, (2) asks inappropriate questions, (3) asks lengthy questions, and (4) interrupts.Keyword: Gricean Maxim 1 , observing the Quality Maxim 2 , communication difficulty 3 , Autism Spectrum Disorder 4Grice (1975, p. 45) described what he called the "Cooperative Principle" (CP), which defines the governing principle by which people may conduct mutual, cooperative conversations. The CP is embodied in the four "Gricean Maxims": (1) the Maxim of Quality ("be truthful"), (2) the Maxim of Quantity, ("provide as much information as required"), (3) the Maxim of Relation, ("be relevant") and (4) the Maxim of Manner, ("avoid unnecessary ambiguity"). When