Enjoyment of Reading Genres Among Aspies

Page 1 of 2 [ 28 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next


Favorite genre of writing?
Non-Fiction - Scientific 15%  15%  [ 7 ]
Non-Fiction - Philosophical 11%  11%  [ 5 ]
Non-Fiction - Historical 9%  9%  [ 4 ]
Non-Fiction - Autobiographical 0%  0%  [ 0 ]
Humor 4%  4%  [ 2 ]
Realistic Fiction 13%  13%  [ 6 ]
Unrealistic Fiction 13%  13%  [ 6 ]
Fantasy 36%  36%  [ 17 ]
Total votes : 47

Ganondox
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 7 Oct 2011
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Posts: 5,776
Location: USA

07 Mar 2012, 8:13 pm

So I've heard aspies are supposed to prefer nonfiction to fiction, but I'm not buying that. I've also heard that many aspies are often hardcore fantasy fans, including hearing both points from the same source. Anyway, I've heard claims that aspies don't like fiction because they lack imagination, but I know that's obviously not the case, at least not for everyone, so I'm going to look more into it. So while many aspies are Sci-Fi and fantasy fans, I don't really seem to see many aspie realistic fiction fans, and I think the truth behind the issue lies there. See, NTs do not read fiction for the same reason as aspies. Many NTs like fiction because they connect with the characters and they like all the interpersonal relations and stuff, they find truth within the relationships. Aspies are probably not going to find much value in this, and since realistic fiction lacks many other elements in fiction or fantasy that might appeal to aspies there would be less enjoyment for aspies. I would like to conduct a poll to look at the trends to see whether or not the hypothesis is supported.

Notes: the genres I'm giving are not standard ones, they are interpreted a bit differently to look for patterns, and they are open to interpretation. Generally, scientific involes information on natural things, philosophical explores metaphysical things, historical explores significant people related things, and autobiographical focuses on the life of a specific person who may or may not be historically significant. Things related to math, art, and music may either fall under scientific or philosophical depending on how you interpret it, or historical or autobiographical it they focus on the cultural aspects.

Humor is work that focuses on the humorous way it is presented, and it really doesn't matter if it's non-fiction or fiction, at least for the sake of our poll.

Realistic fiction describes stories that describe more or less regular things that often happen to more or less ordinary people. Unrealistic fiction potentially could happen in our world, but it is very unlikely, and whole lacking fantasy elements, it has a fantastic plot. Depending on the story, how it's presented, and how you interpret it some adventure, mystery, ect. books could go in either of these categories. I'm also throughing alternate history into this category. Fantasy describes stories with fantastic elements, and cannot exist in our world ad we know it. Depending on how you interpret it and the book Sci-Fi either falls under unrealistic or fantasy.


_________________
Cinnamon and sugary
Softly Spoken lies
You never know just how you look
Through other people's eyes

Autism FAQs http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt186115.html


Alexender
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 2 Jan 2012
Age: 31
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,194
Location: wrongplanet

07 Mar 2012, 8:16 pm

I like to read most genres. But my favorite is Sci fi/fantasy. I have read a lot of John Grisham, Vince Flynn, Stephen King, and Micheal Connelly books too.


_________________
www.wrongplanet.net


Albirea
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 15 Mar 2011
Age: 30
Gender: Female
Posts: 9,768
Location: Cannot be determined due to excessive knowledge of momentum

07 Mar 2012, 8:22 pm

Non-Fiction - Scientific, Unrealistic Fiction, and Fantasy. I don't know which to pick.


_________________
If it doesn't make sense, it's probably a Team Fortress 2 reference.
http://failofcompleteepicness.blogspot.com/
http://self-fulfilling-destiny.tumblr.com/


Sylkat
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 2 Sep 2011
Gender: Female
Posts: 17,425

07 Mar 2012, 8:23 pm

My favorites are:
Terry Pratchett
Douglas Addams
M.C. Beaton
Diana Wynne Jones
John Connolley
Agatha Christie
James Rollins
Jefferson Bass

And more, many more....

Sylkat



Ganondox
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 7 Oct 2011
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Posts: 5,776
Location: USA

07 Mar 2012, 9:46 pm

Damn it, I forgot to add poetry and folklore. Oh well.


_________________
Cinnamon and sugary
Softly Spoken lies
You never know just how you look
Through other people's eyes

Autism FAQs http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt186115.html


lostgirl1986
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 28 Feb 2012
Age: 37
Gender: Female
Posts: 6,418
Location: Ontario, Canada

07 Mar 2012, 9:56 pm

I prefer realistic fiction but here`s the deal, I usually only choose books with a protagonist that I either find really interesting or that I can somehow relate to. I`m not a big fantasy fan at all.



ocdgirl123
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 10 Oct 2010
Age: 28
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,809
Location: Canada

08 Mar 2012, 8:20 pm

My favourite is realistic fiction and scientific non-fiction. I say my least favourite is probably fantasy, sorry guys, but I don't like it and find that it confuses me more than any other genre.



Niniel
Raven
Raven

User avatar

Joined: 9 Nov 2011
Age: 37
Gender: Female
Posts: 118
Location: New Zealand

08 Mar 2012, 9:11 pm

I don't think I would be able to pick a favorite genre. Some of the authors I really like are: George R R Martin, Tolkien, Douglas Adams, Richard Dawkins and Bill Bryson.

Right now I like to read scientific or historical non-fiction.



Jory
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 2 Jun 2011
Gender: Male
Posts: 17,520
Location: Tornado Alley

08 Mar 2012, 9:17 pm

I have books on my shelf from every poll option.



kg4fxg
Snowy Owl
Snowy Owl

User avatar

Joined: 7 Feb 2012
Age: 38
Gender: Female
Posts: 168

08 Mar 2012, 9:38 pm

OK, I am the odd one - sorry :oops:

I only read Philosophy, Classical Music, biographies. And recently Asperger related books. I hate fiction or fantasy. It has to be real and deep. My books floor to ceiling are often acquired used from Amazon and are either Philosophy or something to do with Classical Music.

I read to learn and gain a classical education. I just have trouble with fiction. Maybe I just can't picture in my mind what I am reading? Always been like that to some extent.



CockneyRebel
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 17 Jul 2004
Age: 49
Gender: Male
Posts: 113,527
Location: Stalag 13

08 Mar 2012, 10:10 pm

I like autobiographies, philosophy and self-help.


_________________
Who wants to adopt a Sweet Pea?


Ookla
Deinonychus
Deinonychus

User avatar

Joined: 3 Apr 2011
Age: 50
Gender: Male
Posts: 307
Location: Indiana

08 Mar 2012, 10:36 pm

I went with "Humor" because many of my favorite writers could fall into that category--although they tend to be dark humored: Samuel Beckett, Kurt Vonnegut, Joseph Heller, J.G. Ballard, Ken Kesey, Shakespeare, Charles Bukowski, Cervantes. Writers who know that life is mostly absurd and that the most sensible reaction is to shake your head and smile. These writers help me through the bad days.


_________________
"Here we are, trapped in the amber of the moment. There is no why." -- Kurt Vonnegut


nick007
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 4 May 2010
Age: 41
Gender: Male
Posts: 27,121
Location: was Louisiana but now Vermont in the police state called USA

08 Mar 2012, 10:57 pm

Where's the option for I haven't read anything except online since I graduated high-school because I read slowly & have problems focusing on it so just show me the reults


_________________
"I don't have an anger problem, I have an idiot problem!"
~King Of The Hill


"Hear all, trust nothing"
~Ferengi Rule Of Acquisition #190
https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Ru ... cquisition


TheHouseholdCat
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 29 Feb 2012
Age: 35
Gender: Female
Posts: 667
Location: Berlin, Germany

09 Mar 2012, 5:47 am

Realistic fiction. But I also enjoy reading non-fiction books and some humor and occasionally some fantasy and science fiction.

I wouldn't consider myself as someone who reads genres though. It depends on the book.


_________________
EXPANDED CIRCLE OF FIFTHS

"It's how they see things. It's a way of bringing class to an environment, and I say that pejoratively because, obviously, good music is good music however it's created, however it's motivated." - Thomas Newman


RazorEddie
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 18 Jan 2012
Age: 53
Gender: Male
Posts: 610

09 Mar 2012, 8:13 am

Fantasy/sci fi for me. However I find it really irritating when authors feel the genre allows them to get away with poor research and inconsistent writing. For instance magic is fine but it still has to have it's own consistent rules rather than being a device to cover up plot holes. Scifi again has to conform to basic physics where appropriate.

I read a lot and have pretty much exhausted the supply of decent scifi and fantasy so I am now working through humorous books. I don't read a lot of factual stuff unless it is for specific research reasons. Oddly enough I am the other way round when it comes to TV. I generally only watch documentaries etc with little fiction. My only explanation is that books have to be more explicit about how the characters are thinking and feeling while TV/films rely more on non-verbal stuff that I tend to miss.


_________________
I stopped fighting my inner demons. We're on the same side now.


hyperlexian
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 21 Jul 2010
Age: 51
Gender: Female
Posts: 22,023
Location: with bucephalus

09 Mar 2012, 2:11 pm

i read science and social sciences mostly.

but i used to read fantasy and science fiction. my reading trends went like this:

age 10 to 14 - horror, general adult fiction, science
age 15 to 20 - fantasy and science fiction
age 20 to 27 - biographies, historical fiction, classic literature, short stories, poetry
age 27 to 31 - university textbooks mostly, with some of " "
age 32 to now - science, social science


_________________
on a break, so if you need assistance please contact another moderator from this list:
viewtopic.php?t=391105