Repetitive behaviors are one of autism’s core features and can be sensory or motor based, such as hand-flapping, or more cognitive in nature, such as intensely focused interests. Autistic people may engage in repetitive behaviors as a way to relieve anxiety or for fun — and for this reason, such behaviors deserve careful management.
Repetitive behaviors and autism
New thinking about repetitive behaviors suggests they provide stress relief and fun for autistic people; as such, these behaviors deserve careful management.
By
Emma Bryce
4 September 2020 | 3 min watch
Animation by Lottie Kingslake; script by Emma Bryce
tags:
Recommended reading
Explore more from The Transmitter

Systems and circuit neuroscience need an evolutionary perspective
By
Karl Farrow, Katja Reinhard
16 July 2025 | 7 min listen
Keith Hengen and Woodrow Shew explore criticality and cognition
By
Paul Middlebrooks
16 July 2025 | 94 min listen

NIH proposal sows concerns over future of animal research, unnecessary costs
By
Claudia López Lloreda
15 July 2025 | 5 min read
Cite this article: