In-group Questions and Out-group Answers: Crowdsourcing Daily Living Advice for Individuals with Autism

Abstract

Difficulty in navigating daily life can lead to frustration and decrease independence for people with autism. While they turn to online autism communities for information and advice for coping with everyday challenges, these communities may present only a limited perspective because of their in-group nature. Obtaining support from out-group sources beyond the ingroup community may prove valuable in dealing with challenging situations such as public anxiety and workplace conflicts. In this paper, we explore the value of supplementary out-group support from crowdsourced responders added to ingroup support from a community of members. We find that outgroup sources provide relatively rapid, concise responses with direct and structured information, socially appropriate coping strategies without compromising emotional value. Using an autism community as a motivating example, we conclude by providing design implications for combining in-group and outgroup resources that may enhance the question-and-answer experience.