Do you learn mostly by rote memorization?

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First the definition:

Rote learning: learning or memorization by repetition, often without an understanding of the reasoning or relationships involved in the material that is learned.

I've read some articles that claim that aspies mostly learn by rote memorization. I've been told by many people that this is why I did so well in university, especially when I was younger. I never really grasped the material at a "deep" level but I was good at memorizing certain patterns tested in exams. I recall that I was particularly good in some chemistries/life science courses that did require rote memorization.

Do you agree with this? Vote.

It's been quite true for me and it's probably why I did well in organic chemistry and languages in general. I struggled a lot more with biology, though, which wasn't memorization, but more "deeper concept" stuff. Bleh. Haha.

I don't know that I learn by memorizing only. I use rote memorization in math (to remember equations), but sometimes I also have to see the deeper connection between different concepts (in a subject like Biology).

That's funny you mention organic chemistry. I took the course eons ago and it was a full year pre-med course that was considered one of the tougher courses because of the volume required. The average in the class was always in the low to mid 50s in my university. There were over 800 students in my class. I remember writing the exam and finishing an hour long exam in 10 minutes. I was a total ret*d in the lab so the people in my lab section thought I failed. I got 100% and there were only 2 other people out of 800+ students or so who got that score. I was also exceptional in multiple choice exams. I never took any arts or language courses. I took English and one business course. They were my lowest marks I ever got.

I'm not sure about biology not being rote memorization. I found it was. I found physiology/biochemistry/pharmacology/medicinal chemistry also involved mostly rote memorization. All had mostly multiple choice exams. Now that I think about it, most of the university courses I took involved rote memorization except for some math/physics and arts/humanities courses. I avoided essay exam courses like the plague.

I basically learn 4 ways, probably from simplest to hardest:

1. Observation that I may have for later.
2. Relating to something already learned.
3. Relating it to a formula, pattern, or previously learned item.
4. Rote

I may remember a lot of scripts, but that is often due to #3! I may even PREDICT a script based on #3! I learn programing through #3 and #2.

Although part of pi can EASILY be determined by #3, MOST has to be by #4.

For the record, I don't think aspies learn mostly by rote. I learned to read primarily by #3, #2, and #1! Just last wednesday, I was asked what cavalier as a noun meant. I told him that word parts like caval and cabal often mean relating to HORSE! Heck, I had a teacher named cavallo and it meant horse. caballo means horse, cavalry refers to mounted military. I guessed horse rider. It is NOT a commonly used word in that form.

Anyway, meaning #1 was listed as "Nobel trained in arms and horse riding". Meaning #2 was listed as "Knight mounted [on horseback].". Now ABFALL I learned by rote, not that it was hard. aufall I learned by #2.

I think as a school child, my rote memory was very good. My best academic subject was biology, which at that stage was all about memorising facts. When I went to university, I studied microbiology. In the first year, it was still like that, but as I got further on, it became less about memorising facts and more about working out stuff. I struggled as time went on, but managed to get my degree. I was rubbish at the lab work (microbiology calls for dexterity, which I lack and I didn't realise how bad I was until I was too far into the course), but I really enjoyed the lectures.

My (suspected Aspergers) daughter's learning to read just now. She doesn't appear to have a very good rote memory, which might explain why she has obsessions but doesn't learn loads of facts about them. She has a school book for 2 weeks and each night she reads it out loud. If she's relying on memory, she'll often subsitute a word for another. If she decides to actually read it, she can do it no problem. Give her a new word and she can work it out too. Incidentally, the boy next is the exact opposite. He remembers each book, word for word, but show him a new book and he can't do it and doesn't know how to begin working out what a word is. He has suspected dyspraxia and his mum has been told that he'll possibly be diagnosed as dyslexic later on.

I have a good short term rote memory. But if I can't make sense of it, I won't remember it for longer than a week, or a month at best. Things that I do actually understand I never forget.

This ^^^

Double ditto.

No.

My rote memory is garbage. I can't memorize facts just for the sake of memorizing them. The facts need to have a meaningful connection and I need to understand the underlying theory before I can "learn" anything. My short-term memory is also garbage.

No, I learn best through 'deep understanding' and a small amount of 'bedding in'.

I don't know if I'm a proper aspie though.

I don't think such a thing as a "proper Aspie" exists.

This is what is confusing me. I consistently score in the lowest 1-2 percentile in the verbal memory tests posted on this forum and I can't remember names of people or names of drugs in my job but I was good in subjects like organic chemistry and similar sciences that appear to involve rote memorization. I was also much better at multiple choice (recognition tasks) than essay-type questions (recall tasks). I assumed that this is because I have good rote learning skills and bad conceptual stuff. In maths I sucked at work problems but I was pretty good in more repetitive figuring which formula to use stuff. Why do I do so crap on verbal memory tests and yet did so well in "memory-type" courses. This makes no sense to me.

Last edited by Kon on 13 May 2011, 4:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Okay, I'm unsure as to the actual nature of my neurological disorder(s), whether you could label me with asperger's or not.

I don't think you exist.

I'm primarily a rote learner (the first option).

This can be good and bad.

It was good because I had success in an activity called quiz bowl, where my rote memory helped me become a strong player.

It was bad because for classes I would sometimes try to use rote memorization, lists, flashcards etc. to memorize stuff where deeper understanding was required. I would sometimes struggle on tests and assignments because of this.