·         Key Takeaways: A neurodivergent person thinks distinctly, they might have differences in neurodevelopmental patterns and are prone to being misunderstood by others.

·         Neurodivergence can be recognized on the basis of atypical brain functionalities, clinical diagnosis, novel psychological conditions that alter a person’s thinking process, and disability/circumstantial changes.  

The word “neurodivergence” is not a medical term. It is a broad notion with many sub-clinical categories that have many permutations with competing and overlapping meanings. Some view it as a rationalization of deviant behaviors. Others perceive it as a deficit that renders a person incapable or less complete.

Either way, the dominant perceptions of neurodivergence lead to its problematization. This article examines the key factors that define neurodivergence in the absolute sense (from first principles). It attempts to answer the deceptively simple question, “who is neurodivergent?”

There are two routes in understanding a phenomenon – the absolute and the relative. The absolute identifies how a phenomenon exists in space and time. A relativist approach creates meaning through an analysis of what something is by comparing it to other things – this typically leads to an understanding of what the phenomenon is and what it is not.

This article focuses on the absolute approach. It uses an abductive approach to phenomenize neurodivergence. Abductive reasoning is based on logical inference of the best explanation. As such, this article does not claim to provide the only conceptualization of neurodivergence. There are many others possible explanations that could be far more superior than what this article covers. A future article will cover relativist conceptualizations of neurodivergence.

Part 1 – Conceptions of a Neurodivergent Person

This section examines four objective parameters for the definition of neurodivergence in an absolute sense.

Conception 1: A Neurodivergent Person Thinks Distinctively

A neurodivergent person is an individual with a pattern of thinking that is unique. This means their neurological function leads them to think in ways that are not common or known in their place and time.

In other words, the way a neurodivergent brain processes information is different from most other people[1]. That makes them distinct in terms of their strengths and challenges in engaging in the world around them.

Thus, the uniqueness of the neurodivergent brain is the fundamental defining factor of who a neurodivergent person is.

Conception 2: A Neurodivergent Person has Neurodevelopmental Differences

Some scholars view a neurodivergent person as having a brain which (1) works differently, and (2) develops differently[2]. This is premised on the fact that a neurological system that functions differently will change at a different rate and evolve over a different scope.

In many clinical analysis, neurodivergent persons are judged as people who process information in ways that are not typical for their age[3][4]. This involves objective standards of the evolutionary patterns of people in the same category, studied extensively over a reasonable period of time, and an assessment of the gaps a neurodivergent person exhibits. These gaps become the cogent features of neurodivergence in the individual in question.  

Thus, neurodivergent people are considered to be persons with atypical brain development[5]. The yardstick is the collection of universal brain developmental expectations – from the most extreme to the least at each stage. And when a person’s brain function does not seem to meet up to the typical standards, they could be considered neurodivergent.

Conception 3: Neurodivergent Persons are Prone to being Misunderstood

Neurodivergent persons are likely to think and act in ways that many people consider unusual. Neuro-mixed encounters involving a neurodivergent person and neurotypical people is likely to be interpreted on the grounds of dominant trends[6]. And this almost always ends up being regressive to the neurodivergent person.

It takes people who know them to understand their behavior patterns and engage with them appropriately. However, most others prone to dealing with people on certain assumptions are likely to misjudge neurodivergent persons’ thought patterns and behaviors.

To resolve this, society is fast-evolving to develop a body of ethos to support cross-neurotype communication[7]. This is evidence of the fact that persons with neurodivergent tendencies are often inherently prone to significant misunderstanding by the wider society. 

Conception 4: Collective Distinct Expressions of Neurodivergent Persons Create a Neurominority

Since neurodivergence is more about uniqueness, neurodivergent persons are likely to be a few in any given geographical space or social unit. Thus, on the microlevel, a neurodivergent person is distinct, but on the macrolevel, several persons within a category of neurodivergence form a neurominority class[8].

Cognitivists and social scientists use many different mechanisms to classify and manage the collective needs of neurominorities. This recognizes the fact that there are different neurodivergent persons who come together to form a significant section of the population, and their engagement with society needs to be managed for optimal results^[9]

Part 2 – Recognition of Neurodivergence

How can an individual typically get recognized as neurodivergent?

There are four main categories typically used to define a person as neurodivergent.

Category 1: Distinction/Atypical Brain Function

When a person has a brain function that is unique and does not seem to be similar to others, they ultimately get recognized as neurodivergent.

This is a universal approach which is confirmed through the thoughts, ideas, behaviors, and preferences of an individual.

Category 2: Clinically Neurodivergent Condition

An expert examines an individual based on their neurological, mental, and social conditions to determine whether they exhibit one of the typical sub-clinical categories of neurodivergence. Examples include autism, ADHD and others.

The essence of clinical neurodivergence diagnosis is premised on the need to understand, document, and manage a person’s condition. This is based on a pathologized scheme of clinical conditions and the application of the best interventions possible^[10]. 

Category 3: Psychologically Modified Conditions

A neurotypical person could encounter a situation or condition that can render them neurodivergent. There is evidence that conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression tend to modify the brain and its function. Many go through conditions that change their thought processes forever. And when this change is significant, an individual could become neurodivergent.

Category 4: Disability & Changes in Circumstances – The Compensatory Hypothesis

Disability often causes people to develop compensatory functionality to get along in life. This could be a case where an individual is confined in a wheelchair, or a blind person developing superior hearing and sensory capabilities. These pointers tune a person’s thought patterns to frequencies that most other people cannot get along with.

Also, when a person’s circumstances confine them in specific spaces, they tend to develop compensatory brain functionality that could be different from the typical mind. This therefore leaves an individual neuro-modified.

Conclusion

Advocacy and social justice have been the main mechanisms for the development of neurodivergence as a concept. This lends itself to relativist interpretations. This article has attempted to use an objective standard to streamline the definition of neurodivergence from first principles. The findings indicate that a neurodivergent person is often a person with a unique thought pattern or different neurodevelopmental progression. Externally, a neurodivergent person is likely to be misunderstood, and together, different neurodivergent persons constitute a neurominority. Recognition of neurodivergence includes the obvious distinction in brain functionality, clinical diagnosis, or the presence of psychologically modified conditions, as well as compensatory disabilities or circumstantial change that account for a modified neurological function in a person.

By: Sam Yeboah

References

Cleveland Clinic. Neurodivergent. Published: June 2, 2022. Accessed: February 28, 2025. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/23154-neurodivergent

Dwyer, Patrick. “The Neurodiversity Approach(es): What Are They and What Do They Mean for Researchers?” Human Development 66 (2) 2022 pp73-92 DOI: 10.1159/000523723

Heasman, Brett & Gillespie, Alex. “Neurodivergent intersubjectivity: Distinctive features of how autistic people create shared understanding”. Autism 23 (4) 2018 pp910-921 DOI: 10.1177/1362361318785172

Hillary, Alyssa. “Neurodiversity and cross-cultural communication” Neurodiversity Studies 2020 DOI: 10.4324/9780429322297-10

Marocchini, Eleonora & Baldin, Irene. “Cross-neurotype communication from an autistic point of view: Insights on autistic Theory of Mind from a focus group study.”  International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders 59 (6) 2024 pp2465-2482 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.13095

Northwestern Medicine. Understanding Neurodiversity Exploring Differences in Brain Function. Published: April, 2024. Accessed: March 1, 2025. Available at: https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/Understanding-Neurodiversity

Rosqvist Hanna, Botha Monique, Stenning, Anna. “Cutting our own keys: New possibilities of neurodivergent storying in research” Autism 27 (5) 2022 pp1235-1244. DOI: 10.1177/13623613221132107

[1] Cleveland Clinic. Neurodivergent.

[2] Northwestern Medicine. Understanding Neurodiversity Exploring Differences in Brain Function.

[3] Eleonora Marocchini & Irene Baldin. “Cross-neurotype communication from an autistic point of view: Insights on autistic Theory of Mind from a focus group study”

[4] Northwestern Medicine. Understanding Neurodiversity Exploring Differences in Brain Function.

[5] Patrick Dwyer. “The Neurodiversity Approach(es): What Are They and What Do They Mean for Researchers?”

[6] Hanna Rosqvist, Monique Botha & Anna Stenning. “Cutting our own keys: New possibilities of neurodivergent storying in research”

[7] Hillary, Alyssa. “Neurodiversity and cross-cultural communication”

[8] Hanna Rosqvist, Monique Botha & Anna Stenning. “Cutting our own keys: New possibilities of neurodivergent storying in research”

[9] Brett Heasman & Alex Gillespie. “Neurodivergent intersubjectivity: Distinctive features of how autistic people create shared understanding”.

[10] Heasman, Brett & Gillespie, Alex. “Neurodivergent intersubjectivity: Distinctive features of how autistic people create shared understanding”.