Even when a spectator's sensory apparatus and social understanding are functioning normally, distinguishing theatrical from non-theatrical behavior remains difficult.

This may seem obvious: one encounters an instance of theatrical performance by means of the senses and by their typical operation, leading to a recognition of the social form, assuming there is a social form of sufficient familiarity. But, even when everything in a spectator’s repertoire of sensory apparati and social nous is functioning normally, there is a problem with any spectator’s ability to discern genuinely theatrical behavior from the non-theatrical.