The AS concern for justice and fairness sometimes manifests as **bargaining behavior**: refusing to do anything without getting something in return. Example: NT asks AS partner to empty the dishwasher. AS partner insists the NT must do something in return (pick up dry cleaning). The NT becomes upset at this tit-for-tat dynamic. **Root cause:** Many people with AS have poor short-term memory for things that don't interest them. They literally don't register the NT partner's daily contributions (cooking meals, laundry, paying bills), so these never enter long-term memory. From the AS perspective, every request feels like a one-sided demand. **Managing it:** NTs should write down their contributions and insist the AS person look at the "bigger picture": relationships are based on how people treat each other over time, not moment-to-moment deals. Set limits and explain the pattern. See also: [[Resistance to Change in AS]], [[Central Coherence Weak vs Strong]] ## Source - [[Solutions for Adults with Asperger Syndrome - Ch 7 Personal Impact of AS]] — Ch 7 (p184)