How can you tell if a person is baiting you or playing games with you?

[Deja Q]

Inquiring autistic toads would love to know!

[Left Is Write]

1. On the internet or face-to-face?

[Deja Q]

2. Both.

Though I suspect the internet allows for more... misinterpretations? Or less; only to be obscufated with established fact?

and then there is the veracity of the fact.

[Left Is Write]

3. In person, body language can help you interpret

the other party's motivations, but I'm not sure to what extent your Asperger's might limit your ability to pick up on subtler cues. If a person makes eye contact with you, smiles, leans into you or otherwise seems open to the conversation, chances are very good that he or she is being sincere.

The internet certainly does allow for more communication problems, both in delivery and interpretation. Unless I am aware of a pattern of problematic history with any given internet poster, I generally assume the conversation is sincere, and I try to recognize humor when it's intended (deadpan humor and sarcasm can be especially difficult to pull of well online). It's hard to explain how I can tell when someone is just baiting me (and sometimes I don't care - I'll just bait right back) and when is a good time to pull back. If in doubt, let it drop and go on to other conversations.
)