What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are. ~ The Magician’s Nephew
I have observed that people of equal intelligence do not necessarily arrive at the same conclusions when given identical data. Yes, this was mentioned in a recent post, but it still intrigues me. While external factors (culture, family dynamics, circle of friends) are undoubtedly at play, they aren’t the sole arbiters. That is, given two people with IQs of 140, there is no guarantee that they’d both excel at the same subjects in school or the same post-graduate careers. That’s a no-brainer if you’ll excuse the pun. Part of the reason is the way our individual brains process information, which plays an involuntary part in our perception of each other and of the world.
Autism and Wiring
Before researching for this post, I probably knew roughly the same about autism as most of the population, which is not much. Now I know a little more about sensory differences, for one thing, thanks to the National Austistic Site. Also, some of those on the autism spectrum have problems dealing with change. That is, keeping a routine is critical. I’m fond of my routine, too, but the impact of its disruption is more manageable for me than for those who are moderately autistic. Here are a few situations that people on the spectrum might find problematic due to sensory overload, according to the Articulate Autistic:
- Sudden, loud noises.
- Ticking clock or metronome.
- Mouth noises. Chewing, slurping, swallowing, for example.
- Small talk. (Well, in fairness, that bothers a lot of us.)
There’s more on the list, but the only other one I’ll mention is negative energy. That is, if I am speaking softly but giving off irritated vibes, the autistic person I’m speaking to might get stressed out. It is important to note that many people on the spectrum are highly functioning. This in no way means their social interactions or day-to-day lives are simple. They have learned to deal with their obstacles, which brings me to an individual with incredible achievements.
Temple Grandin - perception and story
Don’t worry. I’ll keep it short. If you want the whole backstory, you’ll need to read one of Grandin’s books or watch her biographical movie.* That’s how I first heard of Dr. Grandin more than a decade ago, and it provided a glimpse into her childhood. She was born in 1947 and diagnosed with autism by the time she was 3 or 4. At that time a doctor advised her mother to place her into an institution. Fortunately for her and the many lives she’s impacted, her mother took her home and worked with her to teach her to read.
Later, Mrs. Grandin went to extraordinary lengths to find schools that would take Temple, but she also made sure that her daughter could feel comfortable in those environments. The situation was complicated by behaviors most teachers–and classmates–were incapable of understanding at that time.
Dr. Grandin did go on to complete her college and graduate studies and is currently a professor (Animal Science) at Colorado State University. I received my M.Ed. there and was excited beyond all reason when I heard she was in attendance at our graduation ceremony. I know. It doesn’t take much to make me happy. Dr. Grandin is quite accomplished, but she is probably best known for her redesign of cattle chutes from straight to curved. Why does this matter? Keeping cows in a curved chute also keeps them from seeing what’s next. That way, they’re more likely to keep moving.
*Available on Prime.
So what does autism have to do with perception?
Everything. For both those on the spectrum and those who are not, it’s a communication factor. People on the spectrum may not respond to comments, questions, jokes, or gestures in the same way as most of the population would. That, and some of them are more literal than average, may think in pictures, and may be ultra-sensitive to change. This extends even to something we’d consider small, like rearranging furniture in a room. I’d venture to guess that not everyone impacted by autism has been diagnosed and even if they have been, you might not recognize the characteristics in a casual conversation.
In these days of heightened alert, where we are too often anticipating opposition/conflict, it is critical to assume good intent. You don’t always know whether your wiring mirrors the wiring of the person in front of you. Better to err on the side of grace.
Interesting piece. Some percent of your readers will understand some percent of your point. I stopped being surprised at folks not understanding my thoughts as a young person. I tripped across my first non-Aristolean symantics book, Of Knowing and Existence, at a used book store while in college. There are volumes on the subject.
Do you still have the book? I looked it up on Amazon, and apparently, it’s a keeper. Pricey. 🙄