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JoelFan
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09 Jan 2015, 10:53 pm

Hey Gang Happy New Year!

I was wondering if anybody else on here has issues of taking things too literally? from what I've read it's a common trait for those with AS and Autism. I know I'm guilty of taking things way too literally at times example: When reading from a text book this past semester my teacher looked over my shoulder after she noticed I was having issues with a question in the book she looked at me and looked at my answer and she basically said your reading too much into the question don't take this too literally she sat down near me and read the question to me and it made more sense then what I was reading in the book then she asked me what do I make of the question and I told her my theory and she was like wow you really read more into the question then it was intended.

Am I the only one whom has had this problem? does anybody have any advice as to how does one not take a question so literal in a text book?


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RikkiK
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09 Jan 2015, 10:57 pm

Maybe stopping, looking away and trying to paraphrase would help. Then you can see if it makes sense as something the textbook would ask/say, and if it doesn't look at it from a more literal (or not) perspective.

I used to have a similar issue with text book questions, often getting mixed up because of poorly chosen words. Things like "Jimmy painted the box and went inside." Sometimes the wording just isn't clear. In situations like that I just misunderstand without realizing that Jimmy went inside his house and not the painted box.



Last edited by RikkiK on 09 Jan 2015, 11:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

RikkiK
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09 Jan 2015, 11:02 pm

For me, I have the hardest time when sarcasm comes up on-the-spot in conversation with people I don't know well. I ALWAYS justify whatever illogical thing they said as a misunderstanding on MY part, rather than immediately assuming it's a joke.

For example, a guy at my work tried to flirt with me once by blocking the walkway, saying "You're not allowed to walk this way. You need to go around to the other side." I just thought, "Oh my gosh! Well this is the exit side, I guess he's just doing his job, someone must have complained that we've been entering from the wrong side."
or
A friend of mine said that she was a model for Girl Scouts as she had been on a brochure. I said, oh, and she continued saying, "I did some other stuff, but it wasn't great. Mostly radio gigs." Of course I understand you can't model for radio, but I assumed that she just meant she had also voiced some Girl Scouts ads along with the photo.

I pick up on it when my family is sarcastic though, because I know to expect it and how they set it up. I wonder how it is for other people.



JoelFan
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09 Jan 2015, 11:13 pm

RikkiK wrote:
Maybe stopping, looking away and trying to paraphrase would help. Then you can see if it makes sense as something the textbook would ask/say, and if it doesn't look at it from a more literal (or not) perspective.

I have the issue most in conversation with people I don't know well.


I've tried switching to different topics / books when I become too focused/frustrated on a question which doesn't really help and my teacher suggested skipping the question in the book and getting back to it later however I have difficulties with leaving a response to a question unanswered. I do have some issues with taking things too literal when talking with a person 1:1 and when I'm on other sites I have to ask the person if what he or she meant was to be taken in the literal form.
I think on one of the Billy Joel fan pages I'm on they know I have Autism because "I go to extremes" if somebody posts something that I read too much into, Other times I ask if the question(s) posted were meant to be taken in the literal form Tho I am respected on one of the pages nobody really had called me out on having Autism.


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xenocity
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09 Jan 2015, 11:17 pm

I tend to take things literally unless I can tell otherwise.
Though since I've been diagnosed with AS in late 2010, I normally ask the person what they mean, if I can't tell.


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