Re: Andromeda's question: how do NT's percieve context?

[Guest guest]

Hi AllI have been reading this and the proceeding threads with great interest. I am very curious about some of the points being put across.I am also very interested in an answer to the subject of this particular thread.In my case, I do not consider myself too bad regarding theory of mind or mind blindness but I am very context blind, particularly in real time situations.There seems to be a fundamental difference in the way that my mind works compared to that of the NT mind. Since becoming aware of my AS, I have noted that I need to reason through every single event and stimulus that I am exposed to, so as to make sense of my environment. Somehow NT people do not appear to need to do this, certainly not to the same extent. It is as though NT people have a way of dealing with a high number of real time events and stimuli simultaneously, for later processing. A bit like having a mental co-processor to allow the reasoning part of the brain to tackle "higher priority", real time issues.I am fully able to understand context in an office type situation, where events and actions follow a set pattern and rules and I can predict well how things will develop. Put in a busy, less predictable, environment I can misread context badly.I can totally relate to Judy's husband's conversation situation. In his shoes, I would probably would have been expending all of my effort to reason through the conversation at hand and had very little left to notice the more subtle stimuli like the hovering wife and exchanges between the new found friend and his wife.I have noted other AS people who believe NT abilities to be related to building up a set of rules, to determine context and guide their actions. This explanation fits how I have to think as an AS person. I can't imagine what it would be like to not have to reason through every little detail and action.I have tried to explain my thoughts on this to my NT wife, who did not understand. She inadvertently explained her take on issue when she remarked on her ability to multi-task. She explained that she doesn't have to think about everything that she does. She just does them and everything makes sense (to her anyway), including conducting task's while watching TV or listening out for something. I do not have her ability to act automatically and so it is not surprising that I don't understand. Explaining to me how she does this is as meaningful as describing the colour green to a blind person.Interested in tour thoughts, NT or AS.Steve Connected by MOTOBLUR™ Andromeda's question: how do NT's percieve context? Hi Andromeda,I'm putting this one back out there with a new header so hopefully it won't get lost in the recent discussions. That's a GREAT question. I wouldn't mind hearing from both sides this one, but I too am very interested in hearing the non-spectrum perspective. I suspect the rules would be somewhat fluid depending on changing settings and circumstances. I would love to know how non spectrum folks adapt to the constant state of flux, if they find it easy, hard, if it comes to them consciously or intuitively, etc. Again, GOOD question!- Helen(was: Re: (article) Autism: From Mind Blindness to Context Blindness)>> Interesting article. Although I am wary of any pronouncement of THE > explanation, especially in a phenomenon as multivariant as autism, > thinking in terms of context does shed a different light on the problems > we have with social thinking. I know lack of context is a big problem > for me.> > I have a question, though, primarily for either our neurotypical friends > or the psychologists: how do NT's perceive context? Is it a matter of > learning all the rules so thoroughly that they can process them quickly > enough to respond in real time, or is context reading a qualitatively > different faculty? And if so, how does it work?> > Andromeda>

[Guest guest]

Hi Andromeda,

That is a really good question and the best ones are always darn hard to answer.

I am VERY NT. I have Bipolar, so I live in a very emotional and quite chaotic

version of the world. On the other hand, I have very strong empathy skills and

an ability to read other NT's to quite a spooky level, being able to anticipate

quite complicated scenarios accurately.

In fact, I thrive on complex social situations with lots of people, and a lot of

banter, completely the opposite to my AS husband, who is often sidelined in

these sorts of situations.

For me it's partially learned - I matured emotionally at an early age. I had to

be able to anticipate people, read the situation and mainly to protect myself.

So this became really honed out of necessity. It's partly learned, partly

logical deduction, and some creative problem solving all rolled into one.

I love the Sherlock Series that has been on the BBC, because I love his

deduction scenarios. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmueuSRJrZc) these are

purely logical deduction. In my NT mind, there is this sort of thing, but

obviously much faster, with little jumps of faith included, that are based on

previous experiences, a gut feeling/intuition and observation.

I have got a very accurate level of observation in situations, compared to most

of my NT friends (this may be the Bipolar) but I notice subtleties in tone of

voice, physical demeanour and just what led up to situations. I also have an

accurate recall of these things in detail.

I think that in my NT mind, I am able to create projections of different

scenarios, and then deduct which would be most likely. I also think that having

a creative mind also helps this process, as I am more able to generate multiple

options, thereby having a better chance of identifying the correct prediction.

I am then able to base my interactions on these things, tailoring what I say and

do in any given situation.

A lot of this happens so quickly that it can seem like magic or a 6th sense, but

I have done a lot of thinking about how Jon and I are different. You see, I can

do this with people. Jon can do a similar thing in absorbing complex

documentation (as long as it's in his specialism) and he has an almost

'supernatural' recall of facts, paragraphs and sections. It really is amazing.

And I can meet a person almost immediately be able to read them with accuracy.

It's funny, because I used to ignore my intuition, largely down to low self

esteem and a fear of being discriminatory, however I have learned to listen more

to it, because it usually bites me when I choose to ignore it!

Right, break time over, off to mow more lawn. Hope this is helpful, and happy

to answer questions to clarify. As such this was written literally off the top

of my mind!!!

> >

> > Interesting article. Although I am wary of any pronouncement of THE

> > explanation, especially in a phenomenon as multivariant as autism,

> > thinking in terms of context does shed a different light on the problems

> > we have with social thinking. I know lack of context is a big problem

> > for me.

> >

> > I have a question, though, primarily for either our neurotypical friends

> > or the psychologists: how do NT's perceive context? Is it a matter of

> > learning all the rules so thoroughly that they can process them quickly

> > enough to respond in real time, or is context reading a qualitatively

> > different faculty? And if so, how does it work?

> >

> > Andromeda

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Since

becoming aware of my AS, I have noted that I need to reason

through every single event and stimulus that I am exposed to, so

as to make sense of my environment. Somehow NT people do not

appear to need to do this, certainly not to the same extent. It

is as though NT people have a way of dealing with a high number

of real time events and stimuli simultaneously, for later

processing. A bit like having a mental co-processor to allow the

reasoning part of the brain to tackle "higher priority", real

time issues.

What you describe seems to be a common trait among Aspies, IMX. 

Yes, NTs do seem to process much more information below the level of

consciousness, freeing their brains up to attend to other inputs. 

Multitasking is thus less stressful for them (by comparison), as it

requires less work.

I am fully able to understand context in an office type

situation, where events and actions follow a set pattern and

rules and I can predict well how things will develop. Put in a

busy, less predictable, environment I can misread context badly.

While there are set patterns and rules in a workplace situation, the

necessity of interacting with people still offers plenty of

unpredictable scenarios, IMX.

I have noted other AS people who believe NT abilities to be

related to building up a set of rules, to determine context and

guide their actions. This explanation fits how I have to think

as an AS person. I can't imagine what it would be like to not

have to reason through every little detail and action.

If I'm understanding you correctly, the difference here is that once

NTs develop their own set of rules, they tend to implement them

below the level of consciousness.  It's like riding a bicycle --

once you know how to ride, you no longer need to consciously work

through the mechanics of how it's done.  They also tend to be good

at generalizing the knowledge that they develop, making it easier to

apply correctly in other contexts.

I have tried to explain my thoughts on this to my NT wife, who

did not understand. She inadvertently explained her take on

issue when she remarked on her ability to multi-task. She

explained that she doesn't have to think about everything that

she does. She just does them and everything makes sense (to her

anyway), including conducting task's while watching TV or

listening out for something. I do not have her ability to act

automatically and so it is not surprising that I don't

understand. Explaining to me how she does this is as meaningful

as describing the colour green to a blind person.

I can relate to what your wife says, even though I'm Aspie.  Does

that make me a "borderline NT"?

I usually don't need to think about everything that I do... I just

do it.  The only exception would be if I'm learning a new skill,

especially one that doesn't come naturally to me.  But I think

that's true for most people, regardless of neurotype.

Best,

~CJ