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Temple Grandin's theory on aspies/auties thinking like animals... what are everyone's thoughts???

Horsegirl

Horsegirl

Well-Known Member
I definitely agree with it. I can relate to animals much more than I can people. I feel very closely connected to the horse I ride, Phoenix, hence my username. I tell her everything, and I can understand how she is feeling by her body language, which is similar to mine. And she can tell how I'm feeling too. She acts differently depending on how I'm feeling. Apologies for everyone on the mix-up on the high school blog.
 
I never thought my fellow mammals were that different in the first place.

I have lived with cats for decades now (along with many other pet animals) and through all this observation I have seen them think, plan, feel emotion and remorse, show compassion for a friend, and often outwit each other, dogs, and humans.

Science has concluded that cats have a higher intellect than we can probably measure. Here is a post I wrote on how cats think in moral terms:

Cats and Fairness
 
Animals don't think as such, at least not in the same way as humans do... I think that they can visualize - they have good memories and are able to remember events and sensations, or smells, and experiences. They learn to associate a certain thing with a pleasant or unpleasant experience. They can also make simple predictions. But mainly they sense and most have far sharper senses than the average human, they can pick up on subtle changes in body language and mood in both humans and other animals... but they don't have language, so they can't think in the same way as humans can, with them it's more about intuition and sensing.
 
I have better communication with disable elders that are non verbal.
When I was a kid I was growing at my aunt's dog to fear it and impress it. I alsmo mewed to cat as a kid and pretty well.



I am calmed by cat, I love horse, when I was a kid a stayed a long time looking at the fish etc...

But I would say this is just a theory from Temple Grandin, it's not realy the truth, we all had or own litte theory in our head in order to make things come together. How we behave , how others behave etc. It doesnt mean this is the truth.

When it comes to understanding autism I realy like to read and hear from people like Temple Grandin because they bring so much knowledge, like practical knowledge about how to live and how to deal with autistic people. That's great.

But I dont think any theory of this sort is realy correct, I mean at the moment its still unclear were it come from.

But , that being said :

We are maybe closer to animals for some reasons, we are more sensitive and more sensitive to stress, we are detail focused , we are not a big fan of verbal communication.

Also, I am not sure if being closer to animal is correct neither because maybe animals develop autism aswell , I mean maybe there is autistic animal aswell and they would have more difficulties to communicate with their peers, since this is one of the major symptoms of autism.

We could have an answer once we know precisely what cause autism in human.
 
Animals can think if they have a brain. As humans, we know that brains have limitations. There must be similar limitations among animals. We all carry instincts also. Some appear to be a genetic predisposition to act a certain way, like a turtle who knows to head for the water after hatching. Humans have a lot of environmental causes for their behavioral development in the same way cats might learn to use the litter box from their mother or calculate the distance from a chair to the window sill. Human instincts are strong, but we have to learn that there will be repercussions for bad behavior (social rules). It's all trial and error as we mature.

The loyalty of dogs is amazing to me. They have very strong feelings and will never hurt the people or other animals that they love. On the other hand, they will easily reject the puppy in a litter than appears incapable of taking care of himself. That can't be a learned behavior - that has to be pure instinct. The differences between nature and nurture are baffling to us. We are still trying to understand how good people can do terrible things. Somewhere our rational brain takes a vacation and an evil monster emerges. Everything reverts back to nature and the natural workings of the brain.

Animals can bring a lot of calm to a household. As a person on the spectrum, I recall how interaction with animals has always been emotionally rewarding. The feelings of loneliness that many on the spectrum feel seem to be unimportant when in the company of animals. A dose of quality companionship seems to satisfy our need to connect with another living creature. We can't erase the effects of autism, but we can reduce some of the negative aspects of it.
 
I just recently finished reading that book...

Personally, I like her theory, because I often feel more connection to my dogs than any other creature. And I'm sorry, even though animals don't have Human-type language, they do have their OWN VERSION of it, and communicate a lot (my theory is by thinking pictures to each other). I read my dogs' body language, and if they vocalize I can recognize what they need, but the weird part is I can "sense" the mental messages and read their emotional energies too, so I know what they need when the other people (NT's) in the house don't. I am sensitive and attuned enough to speak dog, and have thought commands to them which they obey.

I feel much more at home with my animals, and wish I could find a way to make tons of money that doesn't involve having to be "human". I prefer being more natural and animalistic.
 
Progster said:
Animals don't think as such, at least not in the same way as humans do... I think that they can visualize - they have good memories and are able to remember events and sensations, or smells, and experiences. They learn to associate a certain thing with a pleasant or unpleasant experience. They can also make simple predictions. But mainly they sense and most have far sharper senses than the average human, they can pick up on subtle changes in body language and mood in both humans and other animals... but they don't have language, so they can't think in the same way as humans can, with them it's more about intuition and sensing.
Click to expand...

Well said.
 
I’m of an opinion that dogs, like humans, pretty much work on a pleasure principle basis.
If it’s pleasurable it will be sought out and repeated, e.g rewards for repeating a behaviour.

Unless there’s a more primal urge at work (reproduction)
... forget food and chasing tennis balls if there’s a ripe female in the vicinity.

Domestic dogs (companion animals) absolutely do communicate.
With other dogs, cats and; in their own way, with us.
It’s can be as subtle as where their ears or tail might be positioned in addition to breath, mouth, posture.
That’s before taking into account any noises they might make.

I have 3,dog-savvy cats.
They can read my dog and communicate with him better that I ever will.

It appears to be very black and white between them.
Adolescent dog over steps his boundaries, the cats remind him of his place in the pecking order.

Cats have five sharp ends and plenty of warning signals before they use them.

For a dog in contact with just one of those sharp ends isn’t pleasurable. Behaviour is less likely to be repeated. Simple.
 
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Progster said:
but they don't have language, so they can't think in the same way as humans can, with them it's more about intuition and sensing.
Click to expand...
They do have language, just different language. Porpoises can communicate. Primates can communicate with sign language to humans. My cat likes to go up in a loft so she will use body language and walk back and forth between us and the loft until we get a ladder. By parrot speaks in my voice and husband’s voice. He asks for what he wants to eat and gets mad if you bring the wrong thing. If he wants a cracker, then he asks for a cracker. My husband left today. As he went out the door, he called him by name and asked him to come back. If he doesn’t get what he wants he bangs his cage with something like a tantrum. When he senses we are upset he mimics a loud argument between two people. When i’m sad he will cry like a human. If my husband and I have tense or loud conversation he yells, “what’s wrong?” We have to go comfort him with soft tones and tell him everything is ok. He will sometimes say,” Birdie is not bad”. One time I was gonna leave him boarded at the vets. I talked to him sternly and told him not to throw his seeds and if he did to say, I’m sorry. WHen I came back .the vet to.d me he threw his seeds a few times and ducked his head and seemed like he was mumbling under his breath, I’m sorry. Now the bird remembered to do that three days later in context after being told one time.
 
Peter Morrison said:
Animals can think if they have a brain. As humans, we know that brains have limitations. There must be similar limitations among animals. We all carry instincts also. Some appear to be a genetic predisposition to act a certain way, like a turtle who knows to head for the water after hatching. Humans have a lot of environmental causes for their behavioral development in the same way cats might learn to use the litter box from their mother or calculate the distance from a chair to the window sill. Human instincts are strong, but we have to learn that there will be repercussions for bad behavior (social rules). It's all trial and error as we mature.

The loyalty of dogs is amazing to me. They have very strong feelings and will never hurt the people or other animals that they love. On the other hand, they will easily reject the puppy in a litter than appears incapable of taking care of himself. That can't be a learned behavior - that has to be pure instinct. The differences between nature and nurture are baffling to us. We are still trying to understand how good people can do terrible things. Somewhere our rational brain takes a vacation and an evil monster emerges. Everything reverts back to nature and the natural workings of the brain.

Animals can bring a lot of calm to a household. As a person on the spectrum, I recall how interaction with animals has always been emotionally rewarding. The feelings of loneliness that many on the spectrum feel seem to be unimportant when in the company of animals. A dose of quality companionship seems to satisfy our need to connect with another living creature. We can't erase the effects of autism, but we can reduce some of the negative aspects of it.
Click to expand...
There are new studies now that honey bees can use logic and can count with numbers. New studies are disputing what we were taught in school about animals and what they comprehend or process
 
I love roses said:
They do have language, just different language. Porpoises can communicate. Primates can communicate with sign language to humans. My cat likes to go up in a loft so she will use body language and walk back and forth between us and the loft until we get a ladder. By parrot speaks in my voice and husband’s voice. He asks for what he wants to eat and gets mad if you bring the wrong thing. If he wants a cracker, then he asks for a cracker. My husband left today. As he went out the door, he called him by name and asked him to come back. If he doesn’t get what he wants he bangs his cage with something like a tantrum. When he senses we are upset he mimics a loud argument between two people. When i’m sad he will cry like a human. If my husband and I have tense or loud conversation he yells, “what’s wrong?” We have to go comfort him with soft tones and tell him everything is ok. He will sometimes say,” Birdie is not bad”. One time I was gonna leave him boarded at the vets. I talked to him sternly and told him not to throw his seeds and if he did to say, I’m sorry. WHen I came back .the vet to.d me he threw his seeds a few times and ducked his head and seemed like he was mumbling under his breath, I’m sorry. Now the bird remembered to do that three days later in context after being told one time.
Click to expand...
Yes, it's true. Animals do use body language and sound to communicate.
 
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My success as a Cat Guru comes from understanding that cats "speak" with their body language, and can actually convey complicated information.
 
Animals are completely non-judgemental and don't constantly force you to be something you're not. I think that is the real reason so many of us like animals. I think the whole "we think like animals" theory is a bunch of hogwash, if you pardon the pun.
 
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