Contents:
- Medical Video: Jordan Peterson: How Autism and Intelligence Connect
- What distinguishes the brain of an autism sufferer from others?
- The mindset of people with autism
- Why are autism sufferers usually smart?
- 1. Very high concentration
- 2. Sharp memory
- 3. Pay attention to details
- 4. Rely more on logic than emotion
Medical Video: Jordan Peterson: How Autism and Intelligence Connect
You may be one of the many people who believe that people with autism are usually good at counting, using logic, or creating magnificent works of art. Just mention Albert Einstein, Sir Isaac Newton, and Mozart. They are historical figures who are believed to be geniuses.
However, did you know that all three have one thing in common, namely having autism? Of the many other examples, the community finally built the conclusion that people with autism are usually intelligent and very talented in a particular field.
What distinguishes the brain of an autism sufferer from others?
Autism is a spectrum that describes various types of disorders in brain development. Because the coverage is very broad, everyone who has autism will show different symptoms.
However, in most cases, a common symptom that can be observed is difficulty communicating, interacting socially, expressing emotions and feelings, and understanding the state of the surrounding environment. Usually the symptoms of autism have emerged since childhood and until now there is no cure for autism completely.
People with autism experience disorders in the frontal lobe (front part of the brain) and posterior (the back of the brain). These two parts of the brain should work in harmony. However, in the brains of people with autism, there are connection problems in certain parts so that the brain cannot work synchronously.
The mindset of people with autism
Because of the problem of connections in parts of the brain, people with autism certainly have a unique way of thinking and processing information. Their memory is generally very good and clear. They can remember information or past events in great detail. However, they have difficulty connecting the memory with certain emotions such as sadness, pleasure, or anger.
Emotions, feelings, behavior, and personality are regulated by the frontal lobe of the brain. If this part is disturbed, of course its function will also be reduced. People with autism will find it difficult to understand and control their emotions, feelings, behavior, and personality as well as those of others.
This is what causes some people with autism have difficulty interacting and building strong relationships with others. They will have difficulty interpreting whether the facial expressions you make mean you are happy or disappointed. They themselves sometimes cannot express what they feel and what causes it. So, people with autism can suddenly sulk for certain reasons. They usually don't like change and things that cannot be predicted.
As for matters of reading patterns, counting, and drawing logical conclusions, those in the autism spectrum are usually far more proficient than most people. Not a few children with autism have fluently read at the age of 3 years. They are also able to absorb a lot of vocabulary and work on Mathematics for elementary school students.
Thanks to their ability to understand patterns well, people with autism tend to be good at playing musical instruments. In addition, sharp visual memories accompanied by imagination make those who suffer from autism as capable artists or painters.
Why are autism sufferers usually smart?
Maybe you are wondering, then what causes people with autism to be smart and experts in certain fields? So far various studies have been carried out to find out whether people with autism must be a genius if given the opportunity to accentuate their potential.
Researchers agree that the following factors are the reason why many people with autism have an amazing level of intelligence.
1. Very high concentration
Unlike most people, those in the autism spectrum are able to maintain focus and high concentration on one particular thing. However, they sometimes have difficulty dividing concentration for many things at once.
Because of the amount of attention devoted to one particular thing, people with autism usually quickly master the new material they are learning. Examples include when they are confronted with Math problems or code in a computer program.
2. Sharp memory
People with autism are usually smart because they can easily remember things they have ever met. When they see a parent or teacher playing a musical instrument, they will record the event well in their memory.
So, when it's their turn to try the instrument themselves, they will immediately play back the memory when you play the instrument and imitate it correctly. So is the case with Mathematics, Physics, or Grammar formulas.
3. Pay attention to details
One of the reasons for those with autism has a sharp memory that is attention to detail. According to them, there are no details that are too small to observe. That's why when people with autism are faced with a problem, they can quickly find the root of the problem and find the right solution.
4. Rely more on logic than emotion
A recent study conducted by King's College in England found that people in the autism spectrum tended to rely more on logic than emotion when making decisions.
At certain times, the ability to make objective decisions is indeed very important. Instead of relying on fear, anger, or overwhelming happiness, people with autism prefer to consider logical and objective reasons for making important decisions.
