51 pages • 1 hour read
John Elder RobisonLook Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s
Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2007A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Index of Terms
Asperger’s Syndrome
Asperger’s syndrome is a neurological condition resulting in the impairment of social interaction and development of peer relationships. Asperger’s is recognized by the therapeutic community as a condition on the autism spectrum, generally on the high-functioning side. People with Asperger’s are verbal, but they often exhibit repetitive or rigid thought patterns.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
ASD is a condition that affects brain development, impacting a person’s ability to perceive and interpret social cues. It can cause problems with social interaction and communication. ASD can also include repetitive or limited patterns of behavior, such as hand-flapping, head bobbing, or rocking. The behavior of people with ASD ranges widely from severe autism, in which verbal communication may be nonexistent, to high-functioning autism, in which symptoms may be difficult to spot.
Neurotypical
Neurotypical refers to people who do not exhibit symptoms of autism or other neurologically atypical behavior.
Neurodiversity
Neurodiversity refers to the wide range of differences in cognitive function and behavior among humans. This fairly recent addition to the therapeutic lexicon is meant to destigmatize those with neurological differences. The term implies that conditions like autism and Asperger’s syndrome are simply differences, not handicaps. Robison states about his condition, “So I’m not defective. In fact, in recent years I have started to see that we Aspergians are better than normal” (240).
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
According to the American Psychiatric Association, the DSM is “the handbook used by health care professionals […] as the authoritative guide to the diagnosis of mental disorders.” (“DSM-5: Frequently Asked Questions.” American Psychiatric Association. 2020. Web.) Robison refers to the DSM when he mentions that Asperger’s syndrome was not listed it the handbook until he was in his 30s.
Integrated Circuit (IC)
An IC is a combination of electronic circuits that rests on a small silicon chip (the “semiconductor”). By integrating the components (transistors, resistors, and capacitors), an IC is faster and smaller than a discrete circuit or vacuum tube technology. Robison’s grasp of IC technology (largely self-taught) allows him to modify old amplifiers and coax new and richer sounds from them.
