can someone explain me black and white thinking?

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I never read until today a good explanation of black and white thinking or why it is a trait of autism.
They say it is thinking in extremes, like "if it is not slim, it is fat", "if it is not perfect it is a failure", but I don't undertand it well and from what I know there are as many nt's that think like that.
can someone explain it?

Black and White thinking is when it's either yes, or no--there no "somewhere in between," no Grey.

Using the "thin-fat" example. A Black and White thinker would think that a person is fat if she weights over 65 Kilos, thin if she weighs below 65 kilos. There's no in-between--no "grey area." It doesn't take into account that the person weighing over 65 Kilos might not be fat at all--he/she might be muscular, or large-framed, etc. Also, from most people's perception, most people weighing over 65 kilos, say, and less than 80 Kilos are not fat at all---they are just "in-between," "average", etc.

Black and White thinking is very limiting. It confines people so much.

Basically what the above poster said, there's either A or B as the answers. It's either hot or cold, no lukewarm or cool in between.

but how is that related to autism?
also what if I think in black and white in some situations and not others?
what if I make lots of cathegories instead of just some? does it count as shades of grey? Like, instead of slim of fat, 10 cathegories I make for measuring weight x body?
also what about nt black and white thinking? we hear lots of us vs. them, friend vs. enemy, in or out, fit in or misfit etc

Last edited by linatet on 29 Apr 2014, 8:34 am, edited 1 time in total.

People with Autism, at times, have the tendency to think in absolutes (i.e., "black and white"). That's supposed to be a major facet of Autism: rigid, linear thinking.

There are NT's who exhibit this type of thinking as well, it should be noted.

Did you go on your drive, Linatet?

I think without taking it too literally, it means not prone to thinking in abstract convoluted terms.
Like:
NT: "what color would you say this is, burnt umber, autumn rust?
AS: "It's orange"

what if I make lots of cathegories? Like, instead of slim or fat, 10 cathegories of weight and body? does it take into account the greys or is it black and white thinking as it fits things in cathegories?
also what do you mean by ride? you mean my avatar picture?

Putting values (e.g., fatness/thinness) into 10 categories (red, blue, green, orange, fuschia, pink, indigo, amber, turquoise, ecru) shows less rigid thinking than thinking in two categories (black and white).

One should think in many colors, really.

The whole idea of the Autism Spectrum implies that one should not think about autistic people in purely black and white terms. There are many "colors" of autism.

based on the answers I really don't see many people here thinking in only two cathegories and black and white, except for the us vs. them thing which is actually pretty common in any group

Irrelevant statement: I like your signature, linatet.

Functional data:

+1 to that.

OK how about this.

You are out walking in a crowd. Somebody starts running to catch a bus, say. They pull out their wallet and a $5 bill falls on the ground. They get on the bus and the bus leaves, and there is the $5 bill on the ground. Is it stealing if you pick it up?

And in my mind, yes, it is, because I saw the person and I didn't give it back to him. But maybe NTs would say, will yeah, its theirs, but there is no way in heck you are going to catch up with them, so just take it.

yeah that's definitely a form of black and white that i'm familiar with hearing. Good example!

That is a tough one. There is no chance that guy will get it back because someone else will just take the bill when they see it. You could either leave it and have someone else do it or just take it before anyone else does.

Here is another example:

A mother was in need of getting more medicine for her child. Without it, he would get very sick so the mother steals to get money so she could buy some medicine for her kid. Is this wrong?

Most people will say yes or no but I do notice lot of black and white thinking about this from most people.

A parent is in need of groceries to feed her kids but she has no money so she steals them? is this wrong? I have seen most people saying it is.

A parent is in need of diapers but she has no money to get more so she steals them for her child? Is this wrong?

The same goes for baby formula too.

Yeah I know when people get desperate they will resort to stealing to get what they need. It's not like they are doing it to get drugs or to get any luxuries, just necessities to survive when they think there is no help for them.

It isn't stealing because they won't get is back anyway - the bus already left and the 5$ will be gone till they manage to get back here. You could take the 5$ and give it to some worker around hoping they will give it to the person when the person gets back but it won't happen. The person won't be asking around "Anybody seen my 5$ I dropped here a hour ago?" and the worker will just take the 5$ to himself. You might leave it on ground like it is but someone else will take the 5$ then. Taking it to yourself is the only logical outcome. You might eventually take it and give 5$ to the person if you see him again - but it would be socially inappropriate.

Stealing is when you intentionally and secretly take someones belonging knowing it is his and having a sure way to give it back to him but ignoring the way.
There is no sure way to return 5$ to a stranger that is already gone. It is the same as finding it. If it was something important/characteristic (a wallet, huge amount of money, a piece of cloth, a book...) you might use some kind of "Lost&Found" tracks or leave it in a visible spot. But you can't track 5$ owner, the police will make fun of you if you come to them and say "Hey, a guy lost 5$ on the bus stop. I will leave it to you. You will find him and give it back to him, right?" and if you leave it in a visible spot it will be gone withing a few mins.

You might say it is gray thinking but it might be another black or white thinking as well - just the scale is moved.


Anyway.

People tend to tell me I often think white and black but I don't get it. In my opinion I think in gray most of the time. I assume there is nothing sure, especially about people. But thats true there are some categories my B&W thinking comes clearly. For example the expiration date on food:

Assume there is some food with expiration date "the end of 29 April 2014". It was packed 30 January 2014 so it got quite a long availability. You would say it won't just melt as soon as it gets exactly 3 months old as long as you stored it properly so it is just a suggestion. But not me. I will eat it 29 April 2014 at 11:50PM but I won't eat it 30 April 2014 at 0:10AM. Once the date clicks the food becomes inedible.

That's what you call black and white thinking.

Last edited by Kiriae on 29 Apr 2014, 9:58 am, edited 3 times in total.