Black and white thinking

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Do all aspies think in black and white? Is this really an aspie trait as I have seen this in NT's too. It seems to be a human one to me.

Yes just like everyone else.

I do agree it's a human thing. I think what they are talking about is the literal and concrete thinking they do so they call it black and white thinking.

Personally, I find the NT types to be far more rigid in terms of not being able to appreciate an alternative concept when one is offered, or pointed out to them.

My worst rigidity involves things like routines, that are developed over time, in order to clear a path to a specific goal that involves the least amount of sensory stress possible. I have to be insistent on those, because altering them causes me overwhelming anxiety.

theres are close minded black and white NTs and there are open minded gray Autistic people. human beings vary a lot

my issue is all or nothing thinking - which seems similar - basically anything stressful is the end of the world and anything i like is the most amazing thing in the world.

I though we would be the first to understand that everyone has a different perception of "reality" (what ever that is) and have an instinctive grasp on the concept of moral relativism. Justice is a man made abstract concept, though it is essential in lubricating the cogs of a working society it can not possibly have respect for you and your individual thoughts. We inhabit a chaotic world that is much easier to live in if you allow yourself to accept the chaos, and it can be very colourful indeed.

When I was younger I was far more rigid, and "black and white", in regards to my thinking and reasoning about things.

Between the age of 19, and now in my late 20s, I have become much less rigid in my ways, and less black & white about my thinking, and approach to things & ideas. I don't know if it's part of growing up, or part of me having several experiences with psychedelics, or both.

I no longer let my beliefs or ideas about anything become absolutely concrete "truth", I'm open to different perspectives and ideas from others, I'm a very open minded individual. That's not to say I'm weak minded or easily impressionable, I'm just willing to listen to different ideas and takes on something that might be completely different from mine, and willing to accept I may be wrong.

Rigid thinking probably exists in the general population on a continuum but is more extreme and more common in people with ASD, like most autistic traits.

I've been told I have rigid thinking by my mum and my psychologist and a couple of random people (one of them on this site a few years back ) but then one person, my ex-boyfriend, told me that I didn't seem to have any set values because my point-of-view or opinion about a lot of things was too on the fence, wishy-washy or non-existent (I just didn't have an opinion about some things). He said it was kind-of scary.There are some things I have strong, rigid ideas about but a lot of other things about which I'm undecided or about which I have a moderate, in-between point-of-view.

Most of the time, my thoughts about morality are very strict, as are some of my preferences regarding food or entertainment. That said, lots of things in my mind and heart are still very chaotic. I've often used the analogy of someone laying down train tracks, while the engine chases them down. Stopping the "thought train" is impossible, so all I can do is try to find ways around the dead-ends. Its certainly not an easy way to live, though.

Lots of people do this, I seem to remember a certain US President insisting that "either you're with us or you're with the terrorists". Being a dimwit he didn't realise that it was possible to be against terrorism AND against his foreign policies.

But I digress..................

I've been personally accused of black and white thinking but I reckon that I've mellowed over the years. It might depend on where you are on the spectrum because some aspies take delight in obeying all of the rules all of the time (then have a crisis if they break one) whilst other aspies will go out and break the law without a care in the world.

I wouldn't worry about it.

I don't understand what black and white thinking is exactly. They say it is thinking in extremes, in simplistic terms. Well, I totally don't think like that, for me everything is complex and multifaceted. "on the other hand, on the other hand..."

I usually think in grey areas. A lot of Aspies here are black and white thinkers when it comes to comparing Aspies to NTs. Like just because it is common for Aspies to prefer routine, some Aspies seem to think that NTs hate routine, or just because Aspies have special interests it means nothing interests NTs at all. I believe that is a little extreme, as most people I have ever met have an interest in something, if it isn't sports or celebrities it's something else. Interests and routines aren't just for Aspies. The only difference is that maybe Aspies think about these things in a different way.

I never really understood what Black & White thinking was, but this article helped me see it in a new way. Interesting that it's noted as a symptom of anxiety and depression: http://www.psybersquare.com/me/me_back_white.html