Asperger Syndrome DetailsThe focus on details in those with Asperger Syndrome can be unreal. They will pick up on the smallest possible details that others are overlooking. When people with Asperger Syndrome see those details it won’t help them understand the entire situation as a whole. Central Coherence is the ability the brain needs in order to process information from the world around us. This information comes into the brain in small bits and pieces and those details have to be glued together in order to see the “big picture”. The Central Coherence Theory tries to explain the inability of people with Asperger to do so. People with Asperger Syndrome have a weak Central Coherence meaning their focus on details is so huge, it prevents them from integrating the small details or pieces into a whole picture. This makes their life very complicated since they only see small fragments of things and people around them. This is often referred to as “living in a fragmented world”. It’s hard to make sense of situations or interact socially accordingly when you are unable to see the “wood for the trees”. Children with Asperger Syndrome will perform low on tasks that demand the processing of detailed information into a meaningful whole. However their performance on tasks that demand processing of details is outstanding
Asperger Symptoms explained by Central Coherence TheorySince processing of visual information is hard for them you can imagine what happens if they see some-ones face. Their focus on the details of it prevents them from recognizing who it is. This also means the have a hard time seeing the nonverbal signs such as facial expressions. How can you see if some-one looks angry when you are not able to “glue together” all the details that make his face into a whole picture of a face? Facial recognition will become easier as people with Asperger mature.People with Asperger will recognize an object better then a human being. This can cause big problems with social interaction. They can meet somebody they have met before but may be unable to recognize his face again let alone start a conversation! It can be extremely difficult for those with Asperger to make connections between several separate details in a picture. When asked what the picture shown they might give you all the details of the situation but fail to see the context it is in.
Give them time!Processing information in the brain and turning the smallest possible parts into a bigger picture is a time consuming process. Interacting with those who have Asperger will be difficult of they are pressured to respond in a fast way or feel pressured for time. To give them a little bit more time to answer your questions is very helpful!Previous Page Back to Asperger-Advice.com Homepage
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