Fail questions because of words?

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I have the tendency to fail to consider the important factors of a question.

When people talk to me, I often need a moment to be aware of all they said. I just spontaneously think and react to the first words that get through me.

The question they pose on the Sally-Ann-test is a good example for that.

When they ask "Where does Sally think the marble is?" I think about answering to the question "where is the marble?" instead of answering to "where does Sally think it is?".

I have registered the words "where" and "marble" and want to answer that but need another second to realise that there were more words and what those words meant - and that I'm actually asked where Sally thinks it is.

Happens to me all the time. I register a few words fast and already react to them and a second later I notice that the actual question was a different one.

Is anyone else like that?

Last edited by Sora on 14 Feb 2009, 11:49 am, edited 2 times in total.

Hey don't worry dude Aspies do face the same problem some of the time. Like me! Yeah sometimes I can go out of context... I need reminders to keep me on track!

When I read a book, I try to read every word on the page, so I am a very slow reader. I have learned to skim a little faster in recent years though.

I'm not sure if this happens to me. I think I failed the "Where does Sally think the marble is test?" test, I might do this somethimes.

The Sally-Anne test... I would anser with the place the ball was moved to every time, except for I already know the answer... I also hate that question, as I hate trick questions.

I'm more likely to fail a question because I read or hear it without registering it. My internal voice will parse over the words but my brain will be simultaneously thinking about something else. Then I’m like "duh..." when I have to answer and have to go back and read it again or ask the person to repeat. This always happens to me with timed tests especially.

Absolutely. and i think it relates beack to some of the info you give regarding detail oriented perception in another post and thread.
I comprehend about 20% of verbal information that is directed toward me. I can monologue and talk to my heart's content, but the absorption and comprehension of WHOLE ideas that are communicated verbally is a struggle.
I tend to try to "grapple" with the words coming my way.....i try to snatch at the keywords as if they are a whole lot of basketballs being thrown my way and i can only catch a few. I try to formulate what is being said to me and often i misinterpret and then over-react or get flustered because it is so difficult to grasp the "whole idea" that is delivered in verbal syntax form. even a simple instruction or question is like this for me.


I suspect for what you say you can communicate clearly but your social exchanges are marred by fairly disrupted verbal comprehension processes.

it makes for a funny old life with lots of misunderstandings. THIS has not improved with age for me. One of the reasons my partner and i split is because once i try to concentrate on my son's verbal stuff, I am so EXHAUSTED i have nothing left for anyone else. so my husband lived with meltdown screams and had flapping around my head, every time he tried to talk with me. This was accompanied by a shouting "PLEASE DON:T TALK TO ME...I CANT" COPE...."

i hope others fair better .