Throughout my life, I have always found I related very well to animals. I spent much of my childhood playing with my cats, and catching frogs and snakes. I had an especially close connection with my first cat Clide. I would have long one-sided conversations with him, he followed me everywhere around the neighbourhood, and slept in my bed every night.
Some other individuals with AS I have talked to have also felt this incredibly close connection to animals. As many individuals with AS have difficulty understanding and interpreting the emotions of others, it may be easier to interact socially with animals because the emotions and motives of animals are simpler and easier to interpret than those of humans. Animals live very much in the moment and display the exact emotions they are thinking. There is no deception or hidden meanings.
From reading Temple Grandin’s biography, it was apparent that she was able to emphasize with the fear that cattle experience when being processed for meat. She was also able to use this empathy to be able to change this process to make it more humane for the animals involved.
Temple Grandin even goes as far as to say that autistic though process may be similar to that of animals (e.g. simpler emotions and thinking in pictures and the lack of theory of mind). However, not all individuals on the spectrum think in pictures. Many individuals with Asperger Syndrome have higher verbal than spatial skills. Also, higher functioning individuals on the spectrum usually develop theory of mind, just at a much later age than typically developing children. There was also one study with dogs that suggested that dogs may have limited theory of mind abilities (e.g. be jealous of another dog receiving food for a trick). It is difficult to compare the thought processes of different species due to the dangers of either anthropromorphism or under or overestimating animal abilities.
With Eva, it is only the pure desire to be together and enjoy each other’s company. We share a language without words.
3 comments:
Laura, I think the ability to tune in to an animal's psyche is a great gift. I see it in my own Aspie daughter as well. You might be interested in the book "When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals" by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson & Susan McCarthy.
good post can u come cheak my blog for your advice
I have really close relationships with animals too! My dogs and cat are my best friends... they never get mad at me, or think I'm weird, or demand more from me. They are just 100% happy with me when I cuddle them and talk to them! Being around them is like therapy for me!
Post a Comment