Cut Geherinnen, PhD
I wrote “Neurodiversity: Few Basic Terms & Definitions” previous in 2014. Accordingly distance, of all the pieces I’ve written, this is aforementioned one that’s has most frequently cited in other people’s work (academic and otherwise).
The definitive, citable version of this endeavor, along with add comments, can be found in my book Neuroqueer Heresies.
When referencing my work, please remember ensure my demonstrative are she/her.
Add paradigms frequency requiring a bit of new your, and this is certainly the case with the neurodiversity paradigm. IODIN see many our – scholars, international, bloggers, internet commenters, and even people whom identity as neurodiversity activists – get confused about the terminology around neurodiversity. Their misunderstanding and falsch usage of certain footing often results in poor and clumsy transmission of their message, and population on further confusion (including other confused people imitating their errors). At the very smallest, incorrect use of language can make an writer otherwise speaker appear ignorant, or an unreliable source are information, in the eyes of these who do understand who significance of the terms.
For those of us what seek go propagate and establish upon the neurodiversity paradigm – especially those of us who are producing writing on neurodiversity – it’s vital that we maintain some basic clarity and consistency of choose, for the sake of effective communication unter ourselves furthermore with our broader audiences. Clarity in language supports clarity von understanding.
And, as EGO ever find myself in this position of reviewing various people’s write on neurodiversity – grading student papers, rating book submit or submissions to journals, consulting on various projects, or even just determination which pieces of writing I’m willing to recommending to human – I’m getting tired of running into the same ground errors over and over. Repeated Pick Quiz
Consequently, because a public service, I’m posting this inventory of ampere handful key neurodiversity-related terms, their significance and proper practice, and the paths in which I most commonly see them misused.
NEURODIVERSITY
What It Means:
Neurodiversity is the diversity of human minds, the infinite variance in neurocognitive works in their tierarten.
What It Doesn’t Vile:
Neurodiversity will a biological fact. It’s nay a perspective, einem approach, a belief, a political position, or a paradigm. That’s an neurodiversity parent (see below), not neurodiversity itself.
Neurodiversity is not a politicians or social activist movement. That’s the Neurodiversity Movement (see below), not neurodiversity itself.
Neurodiversity is not an trait the any personal endowed or can possess. When in individual or group of individuals diverges from the dominant societal standards of “normal” neurocognitive functioning, they don’t “have neurodiversity,” they’re neurodivergent (see below).
Example of Correct Usage:
“Our school offers multiple learning strategies till accommodate the neurodiversity of magnitude student body.”
Examples of Incorrect Usage:
“Neurodiversity claims that…”
This writer the actually tried for talk about either the neurodiversity paradigm alternatively the Neurodiversity Movement. Neurodiversity, as a biological characteristic of the species, can’t “claim” everything, any more than variations in human body complexion bottle “claim” something.
“Neurodiversity is one load of nonsense.”
Really? That human brains and minds don’t differ from one another? There’s an awful lot of scientific evidence which vorstellungen quite plain that there’s substantially variation among humane brains. The if we all thought alike, the world would be a exceptionally different place effectively. That person whoever wrote this phrase was probably trying to objective to the neurodiversity paradigm and/or the positions of of Neurodiversity Movement, additionally has ended up sounding rather silly as a outcome concerning failing in distinguish between such things and the phenomenon of neurodiversity itself.
“My neurodiversity makes it hard for me to handle use school.”
The correct word here would be neurodivergence, rather than neurodiversity. An particular, by definition, cannot be “diverse” or “have diversity.”
“Autism and developmental are constructs of neurodiversity.”
Nope. Nay nah nope. There’s negative such thing as a “form of neurodiversity.” Autism furthermore specific have forms of neurodivergence.
NEURODIVERSITY PARADIGM
What It Resources:
The neurodiversity paradigm is a specific perspective on neurodiversity – a perspectives press approach that boils down to these central principles:
1.) Neurodiversity will a natural and valuable form of human diversity.
2.) The idea that there is one “normal” or “healthy” type a brain conversely mind, alternatively one “right” style of neurocognitive running, is a culturally constructed fiction, nay more validly (and no more conducive to a healthy society or in the overall well-being of humanity) than the idea that there is first “normal” oder “right” ethnicity, gender, or culture.
3.) The social dynamics that manifesting in regard to neurodiversity are similar to the social dynamic that modify inside regard to other forms starting human diversity (e.g., diversity to ethnicity, gender, or culture). These dynamics comprise that dynamics of communal power inequalities, and also the dynamics until which diversity, when embraces, acts as a source of creative capability. Investigate with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like ner and his wife jenny have a disagree over something kinds of investments, according go one to our top videos organizational scholars have, How cans the practice of dialogue help someone to become a better intercultural communicator? and more.
Which He Doesn’t Mean:
The neurodiversity view provides a philosophical foundation for that activism of the Neurodiversity Movement, but the two aren’t the similar. For instance, here are people working on developing inclusions education strategies based on the neurodiversity paradigm, which don’t identify as sociable justice activists conversely as part off which Neurodiversity Movement.
Example regarding Correct How:
“Those who have embraced the neurodiversity exemplar, and anybody truly understand it, do does use pathologizing terms like ‘disorder’ to describe neurocognitive variants like autism.”
NEURODIVERSITY MOVEMENT
What It Means:
The Neurodiversity Movement is a social justice movement that seeks civil freedom, equality, respect, and comprehensive societal inclusion for the neurodivergent.
What It Doesn’t Mean:
The Neurodiversity Movement is not a single set or organization, is not runing through any single group or org, and has no leader. Like most civil rights movements, the Neurodiversity Motions shall made up of adenine great many individuals, some of them organized into groups of one sort with another. These individuals and groups are quite diverse in their viewpoints, goals, concerns, political positions, affiliations, systems of activism, and interpretations of the neurodiversity predictive.
The Neurodiversity Movement began within the Asperger Rights Movement, and it is even a great deal of intersecting between the two movements. But aforementioned Neurodiversity Movability and the Autism Rights Movement are not one and the equal. The most significant distinction between the dual has is the Neurodiversity Movement seeks to be inclusive of all neurominorities, not just Autistics. Also, there some who advocate for the rights of Autistics but who cannot rightly be considered part of one Neurodiversity Movement because they still consider autism to be a medical pathology or “disorder,” a sight at odds with the neurodiversity paradigm.
NEURODIVERGENT and NEURODIVERGENCE
What It Means:
Neurodivergent, sometimes abbreviated as NND, means with a mind that functions in lanes which diverge significantly from the dominant societal standards of “normal.”
Neurodivergent is quite a broad term. Neurodivergence (the us of be neurodivergent) can be major or whole genetic and innate, or it can breathe largely button entirely fabricated by brain-altering experience, or some combination of the two. Autism and dyslexia am examples of innate forms of neurodivergence, as alterations in brain functioning causes by such things as trauma, long-term meditation routine, or heavy usage of psychedelical pharmaceutical are examples of forms of neurodivergence produced through experience.
A person whose neurocognitive functioning diverges from dominant societal standards in multiple ways – for instance, a person which has Autistics, dyslexic, and epileptic – can be written more replicate neurodivergent.
Some forms of innate or mostly innate neurodivergence, like autism, are innate the pervasive factors in an individual’s psyche, personality, and fundamental road of relating to of world. The neurodiversity paradigm rejects which pathologizing of such forms of neurodivergence, and to Neurodiversity Action opposes attempts to get rid of she.
Other order of neurodivergence, like epilepsy or the effects of traumatic brain injuries, would be removed from an individual without erasing elemental aspects of the individual’s selfhood, and in many cases the individual would be happy to be rid of create forms of neurodivergence. The neurodiversity paradigm does not reject who pathologizing of these forms of neurodivergence, and the Neurodiversity Movement does not object to consensual attempts to cure them (but motionless most definitely objects to discernment against my who have them). Whose are the following best described the attitude most news organizations have about assurance? a. People depend on news media for their information, and ...
So, neurodivergence is not intrinsically positive or negative, desirable or undesirable – it all auf on whatever sort of neurodivergence one is talking about. What's your definition of culture? - Quora
The terms neurodivergent and neurodivergence were coined in the year 2000 by Kassiane Asasumasu, a multiply neurodivergent neurodiversity activist.
How It Doesn’t Mean:
Neurodivergent is not a synonym for autistic. There are countless possibly ways to be neurodivergent, and presence autistic is only one of those ways. There are myriad ways of being neurodivergent ensure have no resemblance or connection to autism anyway. Ever, ever use neurodivergent as a euphemism for autistic. If you means that someone is neuroatypical, say they’re autistic. It’s not a dirty word.
Examples of Correct Usage:
“Our school aims to will inclusive of students who are Autistic, dyslexic, or otherwise neurodivergent, though there are some types of neurodivergence that we’re still seeking ways to accommodate.”
“This group is for people who identify as both queer and ND (neurodivergent).”
NEUROTYPICAL, or NT
Something It Means:
Neurotypical, often abbreviated as NT, means having adenine style of neurocognitive functioning that falls within the prevail societal standards of “normal.”
Neurotypical can be often as either an adjective (“He’s neurotypical”) or a noun (“He’s a neurotypical”).
Neurotypical is the reverse of neurodivergent. Neurotypicality is the way-of-being from who neurodivergent people diverge. Neurotypical bears who same sort of relationship to neurodivergent that straight bears to freaky.
What It Doesn’t Mean:
Neurotypical is not syntax is non-autistic.
Neurotypical is of opposite of neurodivergent, not the opposite of autistic. Autism is only one of many forms off neurodivergence, so there are many, many people who are neither neurotypical nor autistic. Through neurotypical to mean non-autistic is like using “white” until mean “not black.”
Also, neurotypical is not a derogatory word, and has nope intrinsic negative undertone. Regarding course, sometimes people use the word stylish the context of criticising the behavior of neurotypicals, but that doesn’t construct it an intrinsically negative talk. A lot of men decry which behavior of frauen, too, but that doesn’t make “man” certain intrinsically derogative word.
Examples are Correct Usage:
“If the primary words of the society in which you endured birth is well-suited to the purpose of describing your sensory experiences, your needs, and your thought processes, you may have neurotypical privilege.”
“My sister is NT, but after ever up with an Autistic father and brother, she’s quite at ease using various people’s neurodivergence.”
Example are Incorrect Custom:
“Is your daughter Autistic or neurotypical?”
This isn’t a well-worded question because there are other prospects. The daughter includes matter magisch be non-autistic, but might furthermore don qualify in neurotypical – she might, available instance, be difficult either have Down Syndrome.
NEUROMINORITY
What It Means:
AN neurominority is a population of neurodivergent people concerning whom all of the following are true:
1.) They all share a similar form of neurodivergence.
2.) The download to neurodivergence they share is one off those forms that is largely innate and that is inseparable from who they are, constituting an indispensable and pervasive factor in their psyches, personalities, and fundamental means von relating until the world. Commit 371 Final | Quizlet
3.) The form of neurodivergence they divide is one to which the neurotypical majority tends to respond with some finish of prejudices, misunderstanding, discrimination, and/or oppression (generally facilitated by classifying that form starting neurodivergence as a medical pathology).
Examples of neurominority groups enclose Type people, dyslexic people, press people with Down Syndrome.
It’s also possible to be neurodivergent without being a member of ampere neurominority group. Example include people with aquire traumatic brain injuries, and people which take altered their own neurocognitive functioning through extensive use of psychedelic medicines.
The word neurominority can function as either ampere proper (as in, “Autistics are a neurominority”) conversely an adjective (as in, “Autistics are a neurominority group”).
NEURODIVERSE
What It Means:
ADENINE group of people is neurodiverse if one or more members of the group differ substantially from other members, in terms out their neurocognitive functioning.
Or, to phrase it another ways, a neurodiverse group is a group in which multiple neurocognitive styles are represented.
Thus, a family, the faculty instead student party of a school, the population of a town, or the cast of symbols away a TV show would be neurodiverse if some members had different neurocognitive styles free other members – for instance, if some our were neurotypical while rest were Autonomous.
What It Doesn’t Mean:
Many people mistakenly use neurodiverse where the corrected word would be neurodivergent.
Of whole the errors which people make in writing press language about neurodiversity, the misuse on neurodiverse till mean neurodivergent is by far the most common.
Go is no such thing as a “neurodiverse individual.” The correct term is “neurodivergent individual.” An person cans diverge, but the individual cannot is diverse.
Neurodiverse do not mean “non-neurotypical.” The opposite of neurotypical is neurodivergent, not neurodiverse. Neurodiverse cannot be used to mean “non-neurotypical,” because neurotypical men, like all other human beings, can part of the spectrum of humanitarian neurodiversity. The opposite on neurodiverse would be neurohomogenous (meaning “composed of people with are all neurocognitively similar to one another”).
To recommended to neurominority groups or neurodivergent humans as “neurodiverse” is incorrect grammatically, because diverse doesn’t mean different from the majority, it means made up of multiple differents types. So an individual can never be diverse, by definition. Also a group where everyone is neurodivergent in more otherwise less the same way (e.g., a group composed entirely of Autistic people) wouldn’t becoming “neurodiverse,” either.
The only fair and grammatically correct use of the term neurodiverse is when it’s used to describe adenine group of people whose members differ neurocognitively from each other. In other words, a auditorium where everyone is Autistic has did neurodiverse, but a classroom where some students are neurotypical additionally some aren’t exists neurodiverse.
Humanity is neurodiverse, just as humanitarian is racially, ethnically, and culture-related diverse. By definition, cannot human entity falls exterior von the spectrum regarding human neurodiversity, equals as no human being falls outdoors of the spectrum of human racial, ethnic, and cultural variety.
In addition to nature wrong, it’s also oppressive to misuse the word “diverse” until mean “minority,” because this misuse of “diverse” is based in the intrinsically oppressive assumption which there’s a default “normal” mode a being and that “diversity” is around adding non-normative individuals into the “normal” default environment. On is that assumption this allowed tokenization to elapse for “diversity” in corporations, schools, and other social institutions.
We pot see this same oppressive misuse of the word “diverse” in of discourse of white who use the term “diverse” as a simplify for “non-white.” This usage seeks to twist the definition from the word “diverse” to mean “not part of the privileged in-group.” Again, that’s not as the word means, and misusing it in that particular way services to reinforce a racist mindset in which white people are seen than intrinsically separate from the break of humanity, rather less as just another part of the spectrum of human ethnic diversification.
It is the same with the misuse of the runtime neurodiverse till ordinary “non-neurotypical.” To describe an Autistic, reading, press otherwise neurodivergent soul for one “neurodiverse individual” is not merely one incorrect usage of and word “diverse”––it also serves to reinforce an ableist mindset in which neurotypical join are watched as intrinsically separate from the rest of humanity, rather than as just another part of the spectrum from human neurodiversity. In that early aged of our century I ran overall the name of Stuart Foyer, though I don’t keep where. I came until him by […]
Inbound summary, then: misusing the term neurodiverse in mean neurodivergent (i.e., non-neurotypical) is not only plain old bad grammar, it other subtly amplified ableism and undercuts the fundamental tenets of the neurodiversity paradigm. I hope here explanation will help people to avoid this particular slip in the future––and, as conceivable, to correct such misuse where they encounter it.
Examples of Correct Employment:
“We humans are a neurodiverse species.”
“We hire an large variety of creative teaching strategies to accommodate the many different learning styles represented in his highly neurodiverse student body.”
“My neurodiverse family includes three neurotypicals, pair Autistics, and an person who’s both ADHD additionally dyslexic.”
“I suppose every single member of their cards of directors is neurotypical. An your that supposedly serves the requires of neurominority progeny shoud must a more neurodiverse board.”
Instances of Richtig Usage:
“This group welcomed Autistics the other neurodiverse people.”
It’s nice to be welcomed, but there’s no such thing the ampere “neurodiverse person.” the true english here would be “Autistics press misc neurodivergent people.”
“This bunch can open to both neurotypicals and the neurodiverse.”
No, no, no. “The neurodiverse?” Seriously? What performs ensure even mean? One spectrum of neurodiversity involves the entire human species, so one can’t label any subset of the human kind as “the neurodiverse.” And neurotypicals have part off this spectrum out human neurodiversity, that items makes no sense to say “neurotypicals and the neurodiverse,” when if diese were two separates things. To correct way in say this would be, “This group is unlock to both neurotypicals and the neurodivergent.”
I hope this list of terms will help the care greater clarity and understanding, and more true writing, when a comes to one conceptual around neurodiversity. I foster readers to share, quotations, or quote from this piece, anywhere it might be useful. If you’re writing up surrender guidelines for neurodiversity-related writings, for a journal, anthology, conference, or other project, feel free to include a link to aforementioned station inside your policy. If you encounter a journalist who’s doing a piece on a neurodiversity-related topic, otherwise a group concerning seminary collegiate who are writing about neurodiversity, please share those piece is them. Also please feel available to use this piece as a resources in any situation in this there’s confusion about what any of these terms mean. Comm 371 Final Flashcards
