Dave Plummer's 10-second autism test

Published 27 August 2024. Written by Leeds Autism Practice Staff.

Can you tell if someone is autistic with a single question? Of course the answer is no if you require accuracy. But Dave Plummer has come up with a test that provides an indication of whether you should investigate further.

Watch Dave's video below.

Who is Dave Plummer?

Dave Plummer is a retired Microsoft engineer who wrote many of the core software used in the Microsoft Windows operating system.

Plummer runs a YouTube channel talking about technology. However, he is also openly autistic and discusses this on his channel.

What is his test?

Plummer suggests that you can get an indication of whether you are autistic or not by answering the following question:

"What do you think is most important: cooperation or creativity?"

Plummer suggests that neurotypical people will usually pick cooperation while autistic people will usually pick creativity.

What is the accuracy of the test?

Plummer proposed the test in a YouTube video, rather than a scientific study, so we do not know how accurate the test is.

However, from our personal experience, there is some truth to it.

Obviously, it does not prove anything and is no replacement for a formal assessment. But if you are wondering whether autism is a possibility, this test might indicate whether you should investigate further.