Autism and Literal Thinking: Understanding the Connection

One common characteristic for people who have an autism diagnosis is literal thinking. 

This may invite complications in social interactions and communication. The ability to understand and accommodate this type of thinking becomes important for parents and caregivers of those with autism spectrum disorder.

By learning how autism literal thinking works and recognizing how this influences communication, parents, caregivers, and educators may help the autistic person make sense of a non-literal world.

What is literal thinking?

Literal thinking is the comprehension of words and phrases as spoken or written.

People on the autism spectrum are often considered concrete thinkers who take things literally. As a result, they may have more difficulty understanding figures of speech, such as sarcasm and idioms, than neurotypical people.

When understanding abstract or nonliteral language, people use context or tone to determine its meaning. Literal thinking, on the other hand, takes the words exactly as they are.

This often means that when you say, “It’s raining cats and dogs,” an autistic child will think of the actual literal meaning of cats and dogs falling from the sky, causing perplexity.

Autism and literal thinking

For many people on the autism spectrum, literal thinking is closely related to how the autistic brain processes language and communication. Similarly, autistic individuals often struggle to understand nonverbal communication, such as facial expressions and social cues.

Autistic brains focus more on concrete details and specific information, making interpreting abstract concepts or figurative language quite difficult.

This may affect social communication where the tone, body language, or indirect requests are common.

For example, when the teacher asks, “Can you open the window?” the neurotypical child knows this is a polite request. An autistic child may take that as a question and answer directly with either “yes” or “no” without taking action.

These literal interpretations of language can lead to misunderstandings at school and in social life.

Examples of literal thinking in autism

Literal thinking often becomes evident in daily conversations. Common colloquial phrases are sometimes taken literally by autistic individuals, who may misunderstand the meaning.

For example, if someone says, “Break a leg” or “Hit the books,” a literal thinker might take it as actually breaking a leg or physically striking their books.

Literal interpretations can make it difficult to understand nonliteral communication. This happens because someone who processes language more concretely often misses the intended meaning of the words.

Challenges that come with literal thinking

Literal thinking can build into problems in many aspects of life for the individual with autism, but perhaps most importantly, in social communication.

Misunderstanding the use of a figure of language or implied meaning in a conversation may confuse or frustrate the autistic person.

A child at a birthday party who is asked to “give someone a hand” may not perceive that they were requested to help someone and may literally think they are being asked to give something.

Such misunderstandings can make every social interaction stressful for the child and the people surrounding them.

Literal thinking in autistic adults

While literal thinking is often associated with children, it frequently extends into adulthood.

Autistic adults may still take phrases literally, which could present challenges in professional environments and relationships.

For example, an autistic employee may have difficulties at work if someone says, “Can you try to be more flexible with this project?” without giving them clear instructions on what exactly is needed.

Informal language and social cues, like body language or tone of voice, are often unclear to them, leading to confusion.

Tips for communicating with literal thinkers

You should focus on clearly addressing the individual directly without any ambiguity since this would be much easier to understand for a person with a literal thinking style.

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Practical tips for parents, caregivers, and educators to support autistic individuals in this area include:

1. Avoid using figurative language: Use simple and direct language, avoiding metaphors or idioms that might confuse autistic people.
2. Give direct instructions: Break tasks into clear steps and provide specific details explaining what is to be done to avoid misunderstandings.
3. Explain abstract ideas: If you have to talk about something that is not palpable or abstract, try to give examples that the person can understand.
4. Be concrete in your language: Do not assume the person will understand from body language or some particular tone of voice. Let your words say what you are trying to express.

By changing the way you communicate, you may help the person with autism be more at ease and avoid misunderstandings in everyday situations.

Supporting literal thinkers beyond childhood

It’s important to remember that literal thinking extends beyond childhood. Many challenges continue into adulthood, particularly in work and social settings. Clear communication is essential for autistic individuals, both children and adults, as it helps them navigate a world filled with figurative language and implied meanings.

FAQs

Q: Does autism affect logical thinking?

A: Autism may not necessarily affect logical thinking. Many autistic individuals are highly logical. However, their tendency to interpret language literally may get them into challenging social situations.

Q: How do I know if I am a literal thinker?

A: If you tend to focus on the precise wording of instructions and struggle to grasp implied meanings or figurative language, you are likely a literal thinker. This characteristic is common among individuals on the autism spectrum.

Q: Do people with autism have higher intelligence?

A: As with neurotypicals, intelligence may vary among autistic people. Some are highly intellectual and talented in certain fields, while others have difficulties with learning.

Q: Are literal thinkers smart?

A: Yes, literal thinkers can be very intelligent. Literal thinking is a type of processing, and in many cases, people on the autistic spectrum are brilliant in areas that require attention to detail and great logical thinking.