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NTs also have "narrow interests".

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SilverProteus
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06 Mar 2008, 6:03 pm

oscuria wrote:
Silver_Proteus, what constitutes as narrow?

I've always had this problem in the meaning behind "Narrow Interests". I'm into politics and history. Let us say my interest is the Middle East. What would be a narrow interest in this particular study? Would me being interested in the bedouin be narrow? If I were to study about their language, their culture, their origins, the many tribes that are a part of bedouin lifestyle, their music, their relations to other neighboring tribes, religion, etc.

I wouldn't consider that narrow at all. Then again, that is my thought.


I started this thread not to define "narrow", but to inquire as to why aspies are seen as having narrow interests and NTs are not. Why don't people say that NTs have narrow interests?

I disagree with the word "narrow". As one poster has said in some other thread, better would be "specialized."

If you were to research the Bedouins, their lifestyle, culture, language etc and nothing else, then it could constitute as "narrow", or specialized, IMO.


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Last edited by SilverProteus on 07 Mar 2008, 1:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Odin
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06 Mar 2008, 6:14 pm

In my experience the difference between "aspie-type" interests and the interests of NTs is that ours tend to be more particular. For example, one of my interests is paleontology, but most of that interest is focused on two areas, synapsids (the lineage of reptiles leading to mammals) and dinosaurs.


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oscuria
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06 Mar 2008, 6:21 pm

SilverProteus wrote:
oscuria wrote:
Silver_Proteus, what constitutes as narrow?

I've always had this problem in the meaning behind "Narrow Interests". I'm into politics and history. Let us say my interest is the Middle East. What would be a narrow interest in this particular study? Would me being interested in the bedouin be narrow? If I were to study about their language, their culture, their origins, the many tribes that are a part of bedouin lifestyle, their music, their relations to other neighboring tribes, religion, etc.

I wouldn't consider that narrow at all. Then again, that is my thought.


I started this thread not to define "narrow", but to enquire as to why aspies are seen as having narrow interests and NTs are not. Why don't people say that NTs have narrow interests?

I disagree with the word "narrow". As one poster has said in some other thread, better would be "specialized."

If you were to research the Bedouins, their lifestyle, culture, language etc and nothing else, then it could constitute as "narrow", or specialized, IMO.


1) I am aware of the purpose of this thread.

2) I agree; I disagree.

3) This is what bothers me about both words. It's not very narrow when you encompass many things into the mix, and specialized seems too pretentious.


*To bring the discussion into mix: People are very interested in a certain thing, it is very normal. How else can we develop any expertise? I'm not going to theorize because I'm no expert, but what differentiates the "aspie" and the "nt" is that there are other factors which stand out in the "aspie". Obviously, but that is it for me.



SilverProteus
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06 Mar 2008, 7:15 pm

oscuria wrote:
SilverProteus wrote:
oscuria wrote:
Silver_Proteus, what constitutes as narrow?

I've always had this problem in the meaning behind "Narrow Interests". I'm into politics and history. Let us say my interest is the Middle East. What would be a narrow interest in this particular study? Would me being interested in the bedouin be narrow? If I were to study about their language, their culture, their origins, the many tribes that are a part of bedouin lifestyle, their music, their relations to other neighboring tribes, religion, etc.

I wouldn't consider that narrow at all. Then again, that is my thought.


I started this thread not to define "narrow", but to enquire as to why aspies are seen as having narrow interests and NTs are not. Why don't people say that NTs have narrow interests?

I disagree with the word "narrow". As one poster has said in some other thread, better would be "specialized."

If you were to research the Bedouins, their lifestyle, culture, language etc and nothing else, then it could constitute as "narrow", or specialized, IMO.


1) I am aware of the purpose of this thread.

2) I agree; I disagree.

3) This is what bothers me about both words. It's not very narrow when you encompass many things into the mix, and specialized seems too pretentious.


*To bring the discussion into mix: People are very interested in a certain thing, it is very normal. How else can we develop any expertise? I'm not going to theorize because I'm no expert, but what differentiates the "aspie" and the "nt" is that there are other factors which stand out in the "aspie". Obviously, but that is it for me.


Yes, for aspies it's "to the exclusion of everything else", or so it says in the DSM IV.

I'm not really considering people pursuing an expertise, as in college majors, masters and PhD (is that what you meant?), but those who, like my sister (for example) have narrow interests with no intention of specializing.


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oscuria
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06 Mar 2008, 7:27 pm

SilverProteus wrote:
Yes, for aspies it's "to the exclusion of everything else", or so it says in the DSM IV.

I'm not really considering people pursuing an expertise, as in college majors, masters and PhD (is that what you meant?), but those who, like my sister (for example) have narrow interests with no intention of specializing.


I see now.

I would just consider it hobbies...that or useless information. :D



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06 Mar 2008, 8:12 pm

Hehe, I thought the only "narrow" interest some of the NT's have are myspace.



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06 Mar 2008, 9:13 pm

I agree. I remember some of my classmates at the business college I attended who could only talk about going to the gym and other things of no interest to me.



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06 Mar 2008, 9:18 pm

SilverProteus wrote:
Take my sister, for instance. She spends most of her talking time talking about her gym workouts, regardless of who's listening, who she bores, etc. The only difference is that she doesn't 'specialize' in her subjects of interest, she just likes talking about her experience with them.

Like her, her friends are practically the same. Would be talking about who's with who on Big Brother constitute as narrow? Or who's with who in real life? Gossips?

Do you know any NTs like this? Overly preoccupied with social topics to the point of only talking about them?
Tv shows are an exception :P Everybody talks alot about them, and if you watch the show, usually you're interested (at least in my experience)

I just talk about stuff and forget that people don't care :P



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06 Mar 2008, 10:00 pm

There's a difference between disorder and normal; when said narrow interest interferes with your life, what you should be doing. For example, your schooling is severely affected due to you not having the time to focus on anything but that narrow interest (you can apply this to anything).



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06 Mar 2008, 10:13 pm

Quote:
There's a difference between disorder and normal; when said narrow interest interferes with your life, what you should be doing. For example, your schooling is severely affected due to you not having the time to focus on anything but that narrow interest (you can apply this to anything).


That was definately me. I lived on this computer and I was absorbed in libary books during college because of it.


...but I could still be NT.



9CatMom
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07 Mar 2008, 9:53 am

Some appear to have NO interests, other than chatting on cellphones or playing video games. Do people realize they look like idiots when they shuffle around playing those handheld video games all day?



SilverProteus
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07 Mar 2008, 12:24 pm

Danielismyname wrote:
There's a difference between disorder and normal; when said narrow interest interferes with your life, what you should be doing. For example, your schooling is severely affected due to you not having the time to focus on anything but that narrow interest (you can apply this to anything).


You have a point.

Using my sister as an example again, between gym and school she always preferred gym. I wouldn't call it a disorder, though, it's just the way she is.

I just think the DSM's wording is inappropriate and overly vague.


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SilverProteus
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07 Mar 2008, 12:25 pm

9CatMom wrote:
Some appear to have NO interests, other than chatting on cellphones or playing video games. Do people realize they look like idiots when they shuffle around playing those handheld video games all day?


No interests...that's an interesting way of putting it. :lol:


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9CatMom
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07 Mar 2008, 9:46 pm

I definitely had interests that bordered on obsessions when I was growing up, but I still managed to do well in school. They probably did interfere with other areas of my life, however.



Spokane_Girl

08 Mar 2008, 3:48 am

Quote:
So, reading a lot on and researching astronomy extensively wouldn't constitue as "narrow"?


No

Quote:
How narrow is "very narrow?"



If they are only focused on one thing in a subject.


Quote:
My sister talks about muscle building, the treadmill and her personal trainers. Is that narrow?



Yes



RedTape0651
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08 Mar 2008, 10:25 am

SilverProteus wrote:

I started this thread not to define "narrow", but to inquire as to why aspies are seen as having narrow interests and NTs are not. Why don't people say that NTs have narrow interests?

I disagree with the word "narrow". As one poster has said in some other thread, better would be "specialized."

If you were to research the Bedouins, their lifestyle, culture, language etc and nothing else, then it could constitute as "narrow", or specialized, IMO.


I think that the answer is that as children, Aspies have narrower interests than NTs. Whereas as adults, both Aspies and NTs may have a similar broadness of interests. In other words, Aspies broaden their interests throughout life, whereas NTs narrow their interests throughout life.

Remember that a narrow interest in a topic involved with your work will lead to greater competence at work, and possibly more pay or job security. NTs may pick up on that and act accordingly.