thinky stuff
by ruprecht rogers
Big Bang Theory's Sheldon Cooper and a Link to Asperger Syndrome
Sheldon Lee Cooper PhD, the loveable theoretical physicist character on The Big Bang Theory, certainly has more than his share of quirks, eccentricities and humorous OCD behavior. But is there something more to how the character was developed than just a “go-to” for a quick laugh at Sheldon’s expense?
Many fans of the show have posed the question as to whether or not Sheldon suffers from mental issues and some have noted that his behavior is consistent with Asperger syndrome, a mild form of Autism.
Asperger syndrome, also called Asperger's disorder, is a type of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). PDDs are a group of conditions that involve delays in the development of many basic skills, most notably the ability to socialize with others, to communicate, and to use imagination.
So if we take a look at a list of symptoms of Asperger’s, does Sheldon match up?
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Problems with social skills: Indeed, Sheldon finds most social interaction confusing and he often makes inappropriate comments when conversing with others.
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Eccentric or repetitive behaviors: To call Sheldon “eccentric” is quite an understatement.
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Unusual preoccupations or rituals: When it comes to eating, sleeping, sitting, etc, Sheldon insists on ritual. From where he sits in a particular room to how he eats his cereal to insisting on game night never changing.
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Communication difficulties: Sheldon is more often than not, misunderstand and misunderstanding of others. He often misses the punchlines of jokes and takes other people’s statements too literally causing him confusion.
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Limited range of interests: Outside of theoretical physics, superheroes, fantasy and trains, Sheldon doesn’t really participate popular pastimes.
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Coordination problems: Sheldon definitely does not do well in sports.
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Skilled or talented: Sheldon is very skilled in the world of science and other scholastic pursuits.
From this list, Sheldon certainly seems to fit the symptoms.
However, the writers have stated that they did not use Asperger syndrome as a basis for the character, but instead thought of his actions as "Sheldony". Series co-creator Bill Prady stated: "We write the character as the character. A lot of people see various things in him and make the connections. Our feeling is that Sheldon's mother never got a diagnosis, so we don't have one". Prady also told Alan Sepinwell of the New Jersey Star-Ledger that while Sheldon shares traits with people with Asperger's, he was uncomfortable labeling Sheldon as having Asperger's.
In an interview, Jim Parsons noted the writers' response, but added that, in his opinion, Sheldon "couldn't display more traits" of Asperger's. Parsons, who plays Sheldon, has read John Elder Robison's memoir Look Me in the Eye about his life with Asperger syndrome, and said that: "A majority of what I read in that book touched on aspects of Sheldon". He also stated that "the way [Sheldon's] brain works, it's so focused on the intellectual topics at hand that thinking he's autistic is an easy leap for people watching the show to make".
