Today’s episode examines how some autistic individuals process language, specifically challenging the traditional view of ‘literal thinking.’ Rather than a permanent deficit, the author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, suggests that ‘literalism’ is an initial phase of a complex cognitive process that requires time to build associative patterns. Using the example of a common idiom, her essay illustrates the disconnect that occurs when a child encounters figurative speech without an established mental bridge to its intended meaning. This perspective frames the struggle with metaphors as a byproduct of a gestalt system still organizing information. Ultimately, her essay explores the internal architecture of the mind and why non-literal concepts often arrive at a later stage of development.
Here’s the link to the source article: https://open.substack.com/pub/autside/p/internal-architecture-literal-thinking
Let me know what you think.
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