Board index › General Discussion › General Autism Discussion

Why am I bad at answering open-ended questions?

Page 2 of 2 [ 20 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2

Previous topic | Next topic

DerStadtschutz
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 5 Sep 2011
Age: 39
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,467

11 Jan 2012, 11:36 am

Shadewraith wrote:
Jory wrote:
Definitely.

The worst: "So, tell me about yourself."


This is always goes like this for me, after being asked that question: "What do you want to know?"

"Anything, really?"

"Like, what?"

"I don't care."

Image


LOL, yes I have this problem too. I also have trouble answering a lot of questions just because there are so many potential answers to them, and I overthink and overanalyze the hell out of everything. I especially have trouble with those questionnaires they like to give you before you get a job at some places, and "personality tests" because they usually ask "what would you do if" questions or they ask how much you agree with a certain statement. But somehow, I can always think of other factors that would change the outcome of whether or not I'd agree or what I'd do; factors that are never mentioned at all, so I have a lot of trouble answering those kinds of things. And the one question I hate more than anything is the one you get at job interviews: "how would your friends describe you?" How the hell should I know? Do I look like a mind reader? Try asking my friends, for christ's sake...

I don't like giving incorrect/incomplete information either, and sometimes I could talk for hours about one subject, just going over all the different bits and pieces of information I know about it.



Shadewraith
Toucan
Toucan

User avatar

Joined: 19 Nov 2011
Age: 39
Gender: Male
Posts: 259

11 Jan 2012, 12:54 pm

DerStadtschutz wrote:
I don't like giving incorrect/incomplete information either, and sometimes I could talk for hours about one subject, just going over all the different bits and pieces of information I know about it.


I know how that feels. It's like you don't want to leave out any information just in case they interpret the information wrong.


_________________
Radda Radda


TheSunAlsoRises
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 1 Dec 2011
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,039

11 Jan 2012, 12:57 pm

Shadewraith wrote:
Yesterday, at the end of my therapy session, my doctor and I discussed how it's easier for me to answer questions that have an absolute answer. I work well with absolutes, black or white, yes or no. This is why I'm good with the stuff that I'm doing in school (currently taking a Cisco CCNA/CCNP course). But when I'm asked something like "what do you feel like doing?" or someone puts me on the spot and asks me to play something for them on my guitar, I freeze up and look like an idiot.

We talked about how it's because of the way I'm wired and about how I'm a bottom-up thinker. He suggested that I come up with a list of predetermined answers for when I get asked these questions, but we didn't have enough time to go into why I'm like this. I was wondering if anyone else had a similar problem and maybe an answer as to why I'm having this problem? Aside from having a list generated in my head, is there a way to get better at this?


Here is a Little Trick: It might help a bit.

Your mind is searching for one correct or one specific answer to what appears to be an open ended or general question. No problem; let's make the question specific and give it, one or two specific answers(more depending upon your comfort level). Take your time in answering the question as IF you are mediating on a particular issue. Basically, you are using this time to calm down and get over the sheer surprise of being asked what appears to be a random question. ( There is a very short list of questions or conversational pieces that people use to engage others with. Most people aren't as spontaneous as they appear to be.)

"what do you feel like doing?": What do I feel like doing?

"someone puts me on the spot and asks me to play something for them on my guitar":

someone puts me on the spot and asks me to play something for myself on my guitar

There are specific answers to specific questions for a specific audience( I meaning YOU). There are specific things you like to do, depending on a specific situation. I'm sure there are specific songs that you like to play.

TheSunAlsoRises



acentupleflat
Raven
Raven

User avatar

Joined: 9 Aug 2010
Age: 31
Gender: Male
Posts: 119

13 Jan 2012, 5:55 am

Nice thread. I've seen several blogs/articles or whattever about this, and they mention that aspies think inductively whereas NTs deductively (which is a large part of our literalness). It seems pretty true. My mind is normally tense because it's full of details and cant assume a theory to begin with and work it's way down like an NTs. I get stiff and roboty especially when there's extra company around. :oops: