--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can explain how a person with autism…" description: "\"I can explain how a person with autism thinks. I am very, very interested in how people think. It's been a gradual process of learning more and more ab..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08f/temple-grandin-1219_autism_i-can-explain-how-a-person-with-autism-t_1977774.png" --- # I can explain how a person with autism thinks. I am very… ![“I can explain how a person with autism thinks. I am very, very interested in how people think. It's been a gradual process of learning more and more about how my thinking process is different. You know it's bottom up - you take specific examples to make concepts and then I put them in categories.” quote by Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08f/temple-grandin-1219_autism_i-can-explain-how-a-person-with-autism-t_1977774.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08f/temple-grandin-1219_autism_i-can-explain-how-a-person-with-autism-t_1977774.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08f/temple-grandin-1219_autism_i-can-explain-how-a-person-with-autism-t_1977774.png) > “I can explain how a person with autism thinks. I am very, very interested in how people think. It's been a gradual process of learning more and more about how my thinking process is different. You know it's bottom up - you take specific examples to make concepts and then I put them in categories.” [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She describes her autistic thinking as building concepts from specific examples, emphasizing a bottom‑up learning style. **In simple terms:** She learns by gathering details and forming categories. Key Takeaway Use concrete examples to understand complex ideas. Themes autism learning cognition self-discovery education Mood analytical curious Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - classroom teaching - personal development - research methodology Key Concepts bottom‑up processing categorization neurodiversity Questions to Reflect On - How does concrete detail shape abstract thinking? - Can this method aid neurotypical learners? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on specifics may overlook broader patterns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Autism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autism/) [Autism Thinks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autism-thinks-3358419/) [Bottom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottom/) [Categories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/categories/) [Concepts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concepts/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Example](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/example/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Learning more](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-more/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Person Autism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person-autism-390240/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-process/) [Thinks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinks/) ## Related quotes > [It is never too late to expand the mind of a person on the autism spectrum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/it-is-never-too-late-to-expand-the-mind-of-a-person-on-the-autism/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [If you start using a medication in a person with autism, you should see an obvious improvement in behavior in a short period of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/if-you-start-using-a-medication-in-a-person-with-autism-you-should/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [In fact, when we as neuro-typical people encounter a person with autism spectrum syndrome who's always been that way it is that we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/in-fact-when-we-as-neuro-typical-people-encounter-a-person-with/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) > [In the person with autism, the brain may already be seeing the part and be less distracted by the whole, and in the person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baron-cohen/in-the-person-with-autism-the-brain-may-already-be-seeing-the-part/) [Simon Baron-Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baron-cohen/) > [“Whom a person in the autism community is friends with is very important. Alliances are forged against people who have certain friends, and these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/whom-a-person-in-the-autism-community-is-friends-with-is-very/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) > [A person with autism lives in his own world, while a person with Asperger's lives in our world, in a way of his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/a-person-with-autism-lives-in-his-own-world-while-a-person-with/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“Not Speaking has no reflection on what is being thought on the inside, being a non-verbal person with Autism in my early years I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-isaacs/not-speaking-has-no-reflection-on-what-is-being-thought-on-the-inside/) [Paul Isaacs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-isaacs/) > [If you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-shore/if-you-ve-met-one-person-with-autism-you-ve-met-one-person-with-autism/) [Stephen Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-shore/) > [“One of the most important truths about autism is that if you have met one person with autism, you have met one person with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-bedard/one-of-the-most-important-truths-about-autism-is-that-if-you-have-met/) [Stephen J. Bedard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-bedard/) > [Lets get into talking about how autism is similar animal behavior. The thing is I dont think in a language, and animals dont think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/lets-get-into-talking-about-how-autism-is-similar-animal-behavior-the/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [We've got to learn from each other. We have to put ourselves out there, we want to pull the other up because we want/should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/we-ve-got-to-learn-from-each-other-we-have-to-put-ourselves-out-there/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) > [“There's a famous expression that if you've met one person with autism, then... you've met one person with autism. So you met me. Just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-buxbaum/there-s-a-famous-expression-that-if-you-ve-met-one-person-with-autism/) [Julie Buxbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-buxbaum/) > [I suspect that among parents or siblings of a person with autism there are higher rates of talents in systemizing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baron-cohen/i-suspect-that-among-parents-or-siblings-of-a-person-with-autism/) [Simon Baron-Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baron-cohen/) > [“I do what I can and that is listen. As a person with autism, I don’t just pretend to listen. I really do care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-bedard/i-do-what-i-can-and-that-is-listen-as-a-person-with-autism-i-don-t/) [Stephen J. Bedard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-bedard/) > [One of the hardest things for a person with autism to do is believe in themselves. But autistics have every right to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-duncan/one-of-the-hardest-things-for-a-person-with-autism-to-do-is-believe/) [Stuart Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-duncan/) ## More by Temple Grandin > [My problems are sort of more on a nuisance level. I can't stand scratchy clothes, I've got to have soft kinds of cotton against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/my-problems-are-sort-of-more-on-a-nuisance-level-i-can-t-stand/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Language just gradually came in, one or two stressed words a time. Before then, I would just scream. I couldn't talk. I couldn't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/language-just-gradually-came-in-one-or-two-stressed-words-a-time/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Autism is a big continuum, going from someone who remains nonverbal, all the way up to geniuses on Silicon Valley. And some kids are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/autism-is-a-big-continuum-going-from-someone-who-remains-nonverbal/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Some people with autism who don't talk, all they hear are vowel sounds. Like if I said 'cup,' they might just hear 'uh.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/some-people-with-autism-who-don-t-talk-all-they-hear-are-vowel-sounds/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Mild autism can give you a genius like Einstein. If you have severe autism, you could remain nonverbal. You don't want people to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/mild-autism-can-give-you-a-genius-like-einstein-if-you-have-severe/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Animals do have emotion. But fear tends to be one of the most primal emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/animals-do-have-emotion-but-fear-tends-to-be-one-of-the-most-primal/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [I think that the definition of autism is too broad. You got to remember, autism definition is a behavioral profiling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/i-think-that-the-definition-of-autism-is-too-broad-you-got-to/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [People can live up to high standards, but they can't live up to perfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/people-can-live-up-to-high-standards-but-they-can-t-live-up-to/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [There is a small segment of people with autism that have savant skills, where they can memorize entire maps of whole entire city. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/there-is-a-small-segment-of-people-with-autism-that-have-savant/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [“There's a point where anecdotal evidence becomes truth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/there-s-a-point-where-anecdotal-evidence-becomes-truth/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [here's certain things that are similar to cats and dogs. Dogs are just hyper social and they have a want to please you way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/here-s-certain-things-that-are-similar-to-cats-and-dogs-dogs-are-just/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [People talk about curing autism. But if you got rid of all those traits, who's going to make the next computer?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/people-talk-about-curing-autism-but-if-you-got-rid-of-all-those/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [It is important that our relationship with farm animals is reciprocal. We owe animals a decent life and a painless death. I have observed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/it-is-important-that-our-relationship-with-farm-animals-is-reciprocal/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [In a dog social cue from a master can override where he saw the being placed. That won’t happen unless we have bred a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/in-a-dog-social-cue-from-a-master-can-override-where-he-saw-the-being/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Well the dog that is the most is the a Labrador retrievers because they tolerate kids tugging on them and things better than other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/well-the-dog-that-is-the-most-is-the-a-labrador-retrievers-because/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) [Explore all 271 Temple Grandin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) ## More Autism quotes > [“We know that children with autism like order, that they are often very visual and that they can be quite literal. They deserve beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adele-devine/we-know-that-children-with-autism-like-order-that-they-are-often-very/) [Adele Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adele-devine/) > [In fact, when we as neuro-typical people encounter a person with autism spectrum syndrome who's always been that way it is that we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/in-fact-when-we-as-neuro-typical-people-encounter-a-person-with/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) > [If you give us a safe vaccine, we'll use it. It shouldn't be polio versus autism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-mccarthy/if-you-give-us-a-safe-vaccine-we-ll-use-it-it-shouldn-t-be-polio/) [Jenny McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-mccarthy/) > [Autism is a big continuum, going from someone who remains nonverbal, all the way up to geniuses on Silicon Valley. And some kids are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/autism-is-a-big-continuum-going-from-someone-who-remains-nonverbal/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Metaphor isn't just a fancy turn of speech. It shapes our thoughts and feelings, reaches out to grasp new experience, and even binds our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-richardson/metaphor-isn-t-just-a-fancy-turn-of-speech-it-shapes-our-thoughts-and/) [James Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-richardson/) > [The position of Autism Speaks has been for quite awhile that we need to find out what's happening. We know there's a genetic component,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-emken/the-position-of-autism-speaks-has-been-for-quite-awhile-that-we-need/) [Elizabeth Emken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-emken/) > [Some people with autism who don't talk, all they hear are vowel sounds. Like if I said 'cup,' they might just hear 'uh.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/some-people-with-autism-who-don-t-talk-all-they-hear-are-vowel-sounds/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/children-must-be-taught-how-to-think-not-what-to-think/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Mild autism can give you a genius like Einstein. If you have severe autism, you could remain nonverbal. You don't want people to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/mild-autism-can-give-you-a-genius-like-einstein-if-you-have-severe/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [“The autistic mind is not the wave at the surface of the ocean, but the whole world that exists below.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krissy-bells/the-autistic-mind-is-not-the-wave-at-the-surface-of-the-ocean-but-the/) [Krissy Bells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krissy-bells/) > [In the person with autism, the brain may already be seeing the part and be less distracted by the whole, and in the person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baron-cohen/in-the-person-with-autism-the-brain-may-already-be-seeing-the-part/) [Simon Baron-Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baron-cohen/) > [I think that the definition of autism is too broad. You got to remember, autism definition is a behavioral profiling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/i-think-that-the-definition-of-autism-is-too-broad-you-got-to/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [There is a small segment of people with autism that have savant skills, where they can memorize entire maps of whole entire city. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/there-is-a-small-segment-of-people-with-autism-that-have-savant/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [When you have autism or aspergers, it's so hard to get a social life but trust me, in the end everyone can achieve at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lia/when-you-have-autism-or-aspergers-it-s-so-hard-to-get-a-social-life/) [Lia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lia/) > [“Unfortunately, by this time it didn't matter. Self-diagnosed autistics and fakers were asking diagnosed autistics whether or not they had a diagnosis, and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/unfortunately-by-this-time-it-didn-t-matter-self-diagnosed-autistics/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) [Browse all 621 Autism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I can explain how a person with autism thinks. I am very, very interested in how people think. It's been a gradual process of learning more and more about how my thinking process is different. You know it's bottom up - you take specific examples to make concepts and then I put them in categories.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Temple Grandin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/i-can-explain-how-a-person-with-autism-thinks-i-am-very-very/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Autism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/i-can-explain-how-a-person-with-autism-thinks-i-am-very-very/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08f/temple-grandin-1219_autism_i-can-explain-how-a-person-with-autism-t_1977774.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08f/temple-grandin-1219_autism_i-can-explain-how-a-person-with-autism-t_1977774.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08f/temple-grandin-1219_autism_i-can-explain-how-a-person-with-autism-t_1977774.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I can explain how a person with autism thinks. I am very, very interested in how people think. It's been a…” — Temple Grandin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Temple Grandin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I can explain how a person...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/i-can-explain-how-a-person-with-autism-thinks-i-am-very-very/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/i-can-explain-how-a-person-with-autism-thinks-i-am-very-very/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```