We wanted to learn whether our research findings were also found in the answers to the eleven questions we asked on social media.
“Bookshops are wonderful (except the ones with cafes in them, those aren’t really bookshops) Bookshops are usually quiet, dimly lit, have soft furnishings so don’t echo much, and don’t have many strong smells or sudden loud noises.”
Social Media Post
Our work has identified commonly disabling and enabling public places and 6 principles that appear to influence how disabling or enabling they are for autistic people with sensory processing differences. We found that our 6 principles were also talked about in the answers to the questions we asked on social media.
We also found the most commonly disabling and enabling public places, due to the sensory environment. Many of the same places were also talked about on social media, but there were some differences in how many people talked about these places.
Like in our research study, supermarkets and eateries (such as pubs, cafes, and restaurants) were talked about as being two most challenging public places. Also, outdoor spaces such as public parks, gardens and forests/woodland were talked about as the most accessible location.
The comparison between the top disabling places:
| Research findings | Social media findings |
| Supermarkets/Grocery Shops | Supermarkets/Grocery Shops |
| Eateries | Eateries |
| High Streets and City/Town centres | Retail Shops/Shopping Centres |
| Healthcare settings | Public Transport |
| Public Transport | High Streets and City/Town centres |
| Retail Shops/Shopping Centres | Healthcare settings |
| Educational Settings (e.g. schools) |
The comparison between the top enabling places:
| Research findings | Social media findings |
| Outdoor Spaces (e.g. gardens and parks) | Outdoor Spaces (e.g. gardens and parks) |
| Retail Shops (including bookshops) | Libraries |
| Art Galleries/Museums | Art Galleries/Museums |
| Concerts/Clubbing | Bookshops |
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Sensory Street 