Question.

Post Reply New Topic

I'm not sure about where it should be posted but I have a question.
In a discussio I had, I realized that although I have a great memory when it comes for example the names of lead actors in movies, the periodic table,, who composed what, but it would be hard for me to tell precisely a childhood memory, especially when it involves other people.
Has it something with asperger syndrome or am I just fooling myself?
Just curious.

yes,it sounds typical,if not interested in people,the brain will make way for what is seen as more important stuff.
memory is a common issue with ASD,a lot of people with ASD have great long term memory but very bad short term/working memory but that is not definite for all people.

It's not really long or short term memory. It's more about selective memory.
Childhood memories are long term memories.
Besides, I don't think that when I remember a stupid cartoon song, my conscious brain thinks it's important stuff.

I don't really know if it has to do with AS, but I'm exactly like this too. It's very frustrating that I remember so little about my childhood.

the long term/short term stuff was meant in general about memory and how memory issues [whether good or bad] are common on the spectrum,so that it is more than likely influenced by ASD,wasn't to describe selective memories.

the first page of this pdf,explains a little about ASD and memory:
http://psych.utoronto.ca/~pgsa/Course%2 ... rsdorf.pdf

more asd memory information here:
http://neurodiversity.com/memory.html

My short-term memory, eh. Long-term memory is better than I'd like. My head holds loads of useless info (lisence plates, other people's SSN#, phone numbers, etc.)I cannot remember names though, I'm terrible at it. I wish I could decide what to retain and what to dump.

Jeeze, thats sooo true for me I remember so much from when I was so young, it shocks my parents, my NT sister cant even remember living in our old neghboorhood, she moved out at age 6, I at age 8 and I remember as far back as 2-3 and she remembers as far back as 7-8. My long term memory is pretty detailed, i remember my emotions, what occured, colors, reactions ect but short term is hard i constantly have to look at a map to remember what street I need to be concerned with, and I suck at names, very bad with directions!

From what I understand, according to my family, being able to remember stuff the way I do is not normal, go figure...

Hello Davershar,

First, enter as many trivia competitions as you can. In fact, do you want to join my team?

Aspies are good at remember facts.

However they are not so good at remembering things that involve emotion.

I know my Aspie husband remembers facts - my friends always want him on their trivia team.

But he doesn't remember much about his childhood or our 'romance'.

Helen

i have selective memory when it comes to, sportscards and rocks.

Wow Helen,

It's a shame he doesn't remember some of the sweeter times, but I'm glad you're happy. A LOT of women really hate things that seem far less meaningful.

I always thought some things were SCAMS! One was that people remember things that evoke emotion. I don't. My mother always said "If you consider it important, You'll remember it". What a laugh! NO WAY! I can tell you how companies started, how some stars got their break, how languages relate, etc... Yet some simple stuff eludes me. Granted, I don't care about it, but I don't care about much I DO remember.

Frankly, my memory is episodic. By that, I mean that if I experience something, or do something, at least when not under stress, I may remember it a LONG time. It IS odd.

Steve

I'm still trying to figure out what really happened when I was young. My family thinks I'm nuts. (What else is new.) But sometimes a memory comes to me, say, standing alone in the snow. Nothing huge. But then I wonder why, and try to figure out the rest. The family wants me to stop. They think I'm dwelling on the past. I'm really just figuring it out for the first time. Nothing was connected to anything else back when it happened. Does anybody else do this?

I can remember so much from my childhood. I am 32 and remember being in my crib and remember being under a blanket while my Mom was walking to my grandmothers.

YEP, SAME HERE!! !! !! !! ! I EVEN have a memory of standing alone in the snow! My father, and some of his friends left me in a place with skis they knew I couldn't use and knowing I knew nothing about where I was. One of many times I was lied to. They might as well have tried to push me off a cliff to see if I could fly.

But yeah, I DO investigate memories. It is kind of fun. From the clear and EVIL things, like I just mentioned, to the simple and more complete things like hiking in the mountains, panning for gold, going to mexico, etc... I still remember how I felt when I looked down at clouds for the first time.

You can learn more about yourself, balance your experiences, and who knows?

Steve

Aspies generally tend to have a great knowledge in things that interest them and things that they need to know, but if its stuff they dont need to know or arent interested in, then theres lack of knowledge.

It's a lot easier to remember hard facts, than abstract things such as childhood memories. For Aspies, anyway.

My short-term and long-term memory are both crap. Thirty seconds after someone tells me to do something, I forget. And trying to call up memories from the past in detail is almost impossible. Selective though too, I guess. Sometimes I remember what I wore on a certain occasion, or when I first met someone, but the details are usually really foggy or nonexistent unless someone, or something, reminds me of it.