Neurodiversity: An important axis of diversity in ocean sciences

Abstract

Neurodiversity refers to variations in the human brain that affect information processing; it includes conditions, or “neurotypes,” such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dyspraxia, among others. Neurodiversity can be conceptualized as significant differences in the ways that individuals process information; such differences may concern written or verbal language, sensory information, body language, or social interactions. These differences have been historically viewed within the medical model of disability, for example, as deficits in ability through a diagnosed condition, often associated with a goal of curing or managing the condition.