The YouTube (registered trademark) in My Head

Associative Thinking vs Neurotypical Thinking

I think in pictures. The process does not resemble visualizing George Washington's famous portrait in my mind nor the painting, "Dogs Playing Poker" nor a photo of Bertrand Russell, 20th century philosopher. Although in 1991, I was compared to "Bertie" Russell by a person who formerly met with him weekly.

No I have a virtual YouTube(R) in my head. I assumed everyone thought in moving pictures, but I was wrong. Most people are neurotypical. I believe thinking in pictures is a product of genetics, because my daughter also has YouTube(R) thinking. This ability is rare, especially in non-autistic people. While my daughter and I are not autistic, we do possess some traits of autism.

Dr. Temple Grandin, is world renowned professional designer of humane livestock facilities and author of "Thinking in Pictures". She says, "I think in pictures. Words are a second language to me.." (1) Like, Dr. Grandin, words are mysecond language. Unless I visualize a person's name written on a page or numbers on a telephone pad, they have absolutely no meaning to me.

"...visual thinking is characterized by associative thinking versus the linear, analytic processes of the typical non-autistic person. The amygdaline limbic system is a very powerful associative memory in terms of its processing speed. It can recognize and create a response to a stimulus before the signal even reaches the slower neocortex." (2)

While I always understood that I processes thoughts and information differently, it was a little difficult to catch myself thinking in order to analyze that process. Try it. You might find YouTube(R) in your brain.

(1) Dr. Temple Grandin, "Thinking in Pictures", www.grandin.com
(2) http://www.doyletics.com/_arj1/thinking.htm