Topic > Temple Grandin: A Woman Who Used Autism to Her Advantage in Agriculture

“I am different, not less.” These simple but extremely influential words were spoken by Dr. Temple Grandin, one of the most knowledgeable and well-known adults with autism in the world. Dr. Grandin grew up in a time when there was far less research and awareness about autism than we currently have access to. Therefore, throughout his life, he faced many challenges and difficulties that were difficult for many to understand; However, Dr. Grandin and those around her learned over time that her differences did not set her back, but rather served her to her advantage in many ways, especially in her work for agriculture and the food industry, which she improved greatly with her vast knowledge. and a strong sense of passion. Dr. Gradin improved these industries by changing the way livestock were cared for through understanding their behavior, changing husbandry practices, and designing equipment that was found to be more humane and comfortable for the animals. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay As a young girl in the late 1940s and early 1950s, Temple Grandin was very different from other children her age. She didn't begin to speak verbally until she was four, and around this time she was formally diagnosed with autism. Autism affects each person differently, and although Temple's autism caused a deficiency in her verbal and auditory abilities, it allowed her to think in images. In his book Thinking in Pictures, Grandin states: “When someone speaks to me, their words are immediately translated into images. Language-based thinkers often find this phenomenon difficult to understand, but in my work as a livestock equipment designer, visual thinking is a huge advantage.” Through her unique and advanced way of thinking, Grandin was able to connect with animals and imagine life through their eyes, which allowed her to understand their behavior. One way it relates to animal behavior is that people with autism and animals both think associatively. This means that animals act on past experiences, as does Temple. This discovery led to an understanding of why animals react to certain situations differently depending on the circumstances. Another way Temple was able to relate to animal behavior is that fear is the primary emotion of autistic people and prey animals. He said: “Things that scare horses and livestock also scare children with autism. Any little thing that seems out of place, like a piece of paper blowing in the wind, can cause fear. Objects that make sudden movements are those that cause the most fear." This understanding has led her to success in creating equipment and structures that have proven to be calming and comforting for the animals involved, avoiding the feeling of fear. It was also very useful for Grandin herself when she realized that the calming effect of the "squeezing machines" used to relax cattle in times of stress worked in the same way for her too, giving her comfort and a sense of relief, without having to work hard in human contact, which can be quite upsetting for people with autism. Early in her career, Temple focused on studying and working to improve common husbandry practices in the livestock industry. One of his best-known projects concerns i,