Neurodiversity: noun:
the full range of differences in individual *neurological function in the human population.
Akin to Biodiversity, a high level of which is considered to be important and desirable.
The term is considered as originating in the academic writing of Judy SInger. There are different cultural considerations of and names for neurodiversity around the world and through history.
Humans are a neurodiverse population.
As our neurology is influenced by both our biology and our environment, even genetically identical twins have differing neurology, much like they have differing fingerprints.
At an essential level, your *neurology (brain and nervous system) controls everything you think, feel, say and do. Neurology is even at the core of how your body develops, functions, and appears.
TLDR (Too Long Didn't Read = the very short version of the answer below) Most people's (around 80%) brains are roughly similar to each other. This can be described as 'neuro-typical'. Whereas, some people's (around 20%) brains function more uniquely - they are 'neuro-divergent' outliers in our human group of brains.
The term neurodivergence is an umbrella term (coined by Kassiane Asasumasu) that can describe those outlying neurological differences.
Some neurodivergence can be considered 'diagnosable' eg: ADHD, Irlens syndrome, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia etc.
Some is innate ie: present from birth, and some is acquired: for example through brain injury, illness, or earlier life trauma.
🧠Longer answer :)
Every brain is unique, just like our fingerprints. There are endless variety of brain *connectomes (*each brain's unique physical pattern of tracts passing and processing information), neurochemical make-up, patterns of blood flow, and electrical activity; each difference contributing to unique physical processing patterns.
In all of nature, groups of things statistically form clusters with more gathered at the centre, and the outliers being more distant to both the centre, and to each other: see *cluster image:
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'Neurotypical' refers to those in and nearer the central cluster. Most brains operate, and organise functions and states, in very similar ways to each other. 'Typical' ignores less frequently appearing characteristics.
Neurodivergence refers to neurological (brain and nervous system) 'outliers'; The brains on the outer edges of the cluster 'outside' the 'typical'.
Around 20% of our human population have notable neurological differences. The divergence is divergence from the centre of the cluster; the dominant 'norm'/median/average of 'typical' neurologies.
'Divergent brains' tend also to function in individually distinct ways; They are usually divergent from each other, as well as divergent from a more 'typical' brain. (The dots on the outside of the cluster are further apart from each other than the dots in the centre of the cluster) This creates correspondingly unique patterns of subjective (internal/personal) human experience, which in turn may create unique behaviour/actions.
These differences, especially when not well understood, tend to become medicalised through a process of categorisiation from the observing perspective of the dominant (typical) neurotype. Especially when individuals need or seek support with struggles that occur following attempts to meet societal and cultural expecations and demands that are 'neuronormative', in a society designed around the predominant/typical, and thereby privileged, neurotype.
*cluster explanation of neurodivergence inspired by Sarah Freiesleben
A culture that utterly refuses, and redresses, minoritisation of neurodivergent/distinct populations and individuals.
A culture that questions neuro(typical)normative assumptions and works to resist neuronormative pressures.
A neuroinclusive culture that understands, and appreciates neurodivergent/distinct individuals and populations, and reflects this in its systems and societal structures such as education, healthcare, and workplaces.
A healthy environment and community which values, validates, and supports neurodivergent/distinct individuals equally to neurotypical individuals.
A welcoming, loving, celebrating and enjoyable culture for all Young People to grow up and become their most complete selves in.
A culture that is accessing, learning from, and utilising it's full range of human neurologies, traits and intelligence for the benefit of all.
This is not the current state of our culture. Life experiences and outcomes for neurodivergent individuals are measurably, and sometimes devastatingly, unfair and inequitable.
Neurodivergence Positive Culture describes both a type of culture/society - and the processes and systems that will create that culture.
Neurodivergence Positive Culture is my term for how we can actively acheive the social outcome of the Neurodiversity Paradigm shift.
neuro(typical)normative.
a word to describe both:
a culture or society that holds the majority/predominant cognitive profile as the only 'normal'.
neuro(typical)normative also describes the tools, systems and social pressures that are used to promote and empower the dominant neurotype and actively disempower those with divergences from that neurotype.
Through normative pressures, and tailoring of systems to fit the dominant neurotype, the society therefore becomes more suited to 'neurotypical' processing/cognition.
This process in turn contributes to psychosocial disability / disabling of neurodivergent individuals (social model) and supports a culture of ableism.
Those for whom the society is not well designed (the outliers) are:
rendered less able because systems and structures of the society are designed for 'typical' neurologies, and
culturally deemed as 'not normal' and personally less able.
Societies have many types of 'normative' pressures, that we are mostly unconscious of, and uphold through our words and actions, if we are not negatively impacted by them, (and often even if we are!).
Normative pressures are often manifested in ways that tie to moral and ethical perspectives; for example heteronormative pressure often includes religious conversation. They can also be tied to efficiency and comfort for the dominant/privileged group of people that naturally fall within the centre of a cluster of human traits; for example, vehicles and vehicle saftey are designed around average male physique.
Unfavourable conscious and unconscious bias toward physically and psycho-socially Disabled Individuals.
An ableist society is one that treats non-disabled individuals as the standard of 'normal living', and general imcompetence, and often lack of worth, is assumed when someone is apparently disabled.
Treating people inequitably (in ways that create unjust outcomes) because they have a disability, condition, or difference that makes it more difficult for them to do or access things that the prevailing majority of people can do and access.
Normative processes contribute to a culture of ableism.
Those for whom the society is not well designed (the outliers) are both rendered, and deemed as personally less able.