Does our memory work differently?

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I have a sneaking suspicion that my memory works in a different way to how an NT's does. Can anyone with more insight verify/debunk this and/or discuss how we might differ, and how it affects us. Cheers.

If you do a bit of googling you should be able to find a 'theory' of autism that's quite riecient and it talks about autistic spectrum being a problem with memory.

From my limited interactions with autistic spectrum friends I would say it a little like they can't form a very full context which would allow them to appreciate what others are thinking for instance. i.e. they can't extend their context much outside what they are thinking and their immediate unserstanding of words and language.

Although I have a hell of a lot of Asperger's traits I do not have this particular aspect, so I'm not sure if I have Asperger's or something similar.

Unless I am distracted, I don't just remember, I can choose (although that is a bad choice of words since I don't always choose to) relive the details of a memory, the scents, the tastes, the feel, the sounds and sights, everything.

It makes for some interesting situations (like remembering some things about private time with the wife) but......also some terrible things as well. (see other posts of mine for those if you are interested)



I suspect if you asked 20 AS people about how their memories worked, you would get 30 answers.

I don't think there is one set rule about how it is supposed to work, but I bet that the overall trend would be for very good recall for a majority of us, however, it all depends on specifics I would imagine, sometimes, I forget the most trivial things, but never for my topics of interest....

I generally have a great mind for facts and figures. I don't even have to try much to memorize them; I just read it and remember it. This is awesome for my job.

However, for subjects I don't care about, I have to work very hard to memorize the information. I was never very interested in studying history (probably because textbooks are so dully written), and I had to actively study history for that reason.

The weird thing is I have this great memory ability, but can't remember the faces of people I've met 4-5 times.

I think long term memory is more detailed than non-autistics. I think I have a non-autistic long term memory though. Or an ADHD one.
I'm really good at remembering facts unless too many numbers are used in them. Actually I have a really good visual memory. I could forget the name of a street but can remember what the area around it looks like.
Our short term memory (or lack of) is different too. I couldn't even imagine how an NT's short term memory works, but they probably aren't as forgetful and can follow many instructions at once.

I believe i read that we are more predisposed to remembering things that are number related.
Also that we have the ability to drop memories. Kind of like erasing a file off a hard drive. We can selectively just forget.

I know I've experienced both. Especially where I can remember the most bizzare numeric values from decades ago.

I can remember things that happened, years ago, and I have a good memory for dates.

My memory is atrocious for names, dates, lists, things I ought to do.

It is very good for any kind of patterned information. I have to have a context and work off the Gestalt.

Not all of us...
I like science but when a lot of numbers are brought up I get confused by them. Actually the same happens with words. Add some images to it and it will be much easier for me to remember.

We have a tendency to remember things in a way that reflects how we make sense of the world. Most people have a strong verbal cognition, which doesn't really get going full speed until around age 2 or 3. This is allegedly why so many people don't have strong / any memories before that age. If your cognitive style isn't primarily verbal, it's possible that the way your memory works is quite different and therefore much more likely you'll remember things differently.

my long term memory is pretty amazing but my short-term memory is garbage.

According to Attwood, our memories do work differently. Many people with AS are able to remember into very early childhood, including infancy. He compared this to the fact that the NT mind usually recalls memories beginning at 4 or 5. Apparently it has to do with what we focus on. I wonder if it also has to do with the predisposition of the visual mind and eidetic memory.

My wife, who is "NT" (still unused to using that term), tells me that she remembers that things happened (declarative memory) but does not re-experience the memory.

I re-experience the memory. For a second, it's like I was there again. Now, it's an impoverished representation, primarily visual, but I do actually "see it" again. If the memory is embarassing, it's pretty awful.

I assumed (for a long time) that this was typical. According to my wife, it is not (at least for her).

Yeah, my memories are very clear and go back to when I was a baby. My mom however, can't remember before about 7 years old. I can't imagine that. It does seem that lots of people's memories don't kick in until later. It's kind of sad to me.

I have an extremely visual memory.

I can't see other peoples body language accurately, nor their emotions, so I have to apply a structure over them in my mind, forming a model on the visual impression.

When it is accurate, I seem almost empathic, but that is not often the case, as I am self-biased towards assuming people will think like me until shown otherwise.


I'm good at reading what animals are thinking though, cats especially, thus why I state that if anyone has a problem with my diagnosis as an Aspie, then I am obviously a large cat.

My worst deficit is remembering names and people and it has gotten worse with age. I literally will not recognize someone who came into my office 3 days ago and with whom I spoke with at length. I've gotten good at faking it and usually the memory will come back if someone throws me a clue. My staff knows this and will find a way to interject the person's name to help me or hand me my notes from the meeting. We make photos of most clients' drivers licenses and put them in the file so I can refresh myself prior to a another meeting. My town is not that big and no telling how many of my clients I walk past in the mall or wherever without recognizing them. My job involves seeing many people and it really bugs me that I have this problem. People understandably get offended when they're not recognized or maybe they think I have early stage Alzheimers. So I have to walk around with staring straight ahead hoping the client will figure I just didn't notice them.

On the other hand, strangely certain people make an impression on me for some reason and I will easily recognize them after 10 years.

I dunno. I was thinking about hiding a camera in my office that will take a clear picture of every client. I could then sit and study photo arrays in my spare time. I'm not sure it would work though.