neurotypical
Brain works typically
Neurotypical describes people whose neurological development and functioning fall within conventional norms—those without autism, ADHD, dyslexia, or similar conditions.
The term emerged from autism communities as a neutral way to distinguish the majority from neurodivergent individuals: My neurotypical coworkers don't understand why fluorescent lights bother me.
Sometimes used with gentle irony to flip the usual framing of "normal."
Following accepted practices
- mainstreamDominant cultural current
- normativeSetting behavioral standards
- standardLevel of quality accepted
- ordinaryStandard, unremarkable
expected · commonplace · conforming · majority · default · baseline · regular · customary
Continuous range of values
- disabilityImpairment affecting life activities
- accommodationShelter or housing provided
- maskingConcealing by covering
- stimmingRepetitive self-regulatory behavior
sensory · inclusion · diagnosis · disclosure · advocacy · identity · community
Formal evaluation of worth
- diagnosisIdentification of illness
- DSMPsychiatric classification manual
- screeningEvaluative selection process
- developmentalRelated to growth stages
pediatric · psychiatric · psychological · evaluation · criteria · spectrum · disorder · condition
Seat of cognition
- cognitionMental knowledge acquisition
- perceptionMental interpretation of stimuli
- attentionFocused mental awareness
- processingSystematic operation on data
memory · focus · regulation · flexibility · adaptation · learning · comprehension · reasoning
Light, casual conversation
- body-languagePhysical signals conveying meaning
- toneQuality of sound
- subtextImplicit meaning beneath words
- reciprocityMutual exchange of actions
turn-taking · rapport · networking · belonging · communication · politeness · boundaries
conventional
Following accepted practices
- mainstreamDominant cultural current
- normativeSetting behavioral standards
- standardLevel of quality accepted
ordinary · expected · commonplace · conforming · majority · default · baseline · regular · customary · traditional
spectrum
Continuous range of values
- disabilityImpairment affecting life activities
- accommodationShelter or housing provided
- maskingConcealing by covering
stimming · sensory · inclusion · diagnosis · disclosure · advocacy · identity · community
assessment
Formal evaluation of worth
- diagnosisIdentification of illness
- DSMPsychiatric classification manual
- screeningEvaluative selection process
developmental · pediatric · psychiatric · psychological · evaluation · criteria · spectrum · disorder · condition · traits
brain
Seat of cognition
- cognitionMental knowledge acquisition
- perceptionMental interpretation of stimuli
- attentionFocused mental awareness
processing · memory · focus · regulation · flexibility · adaptation · learning · comprehension · reasoning · filtering
small-talk
Light, casual conversation
- body-languagePhysical signals conveying meaning
- toneQuality of sound
- subtextImplicit meaning beneath words
reciprocity · turn-taking · rapport · networking · belonging · communication · politeness · boundaries
- Neurodiversityautism spectrum, ASD, neurodivergence, spectrum, Asperger syndrome
- neurotypesautistic, ADHD, dyslexic, dyspraxic
- Disabilitiesblind, paralysis, vision loss, developmental disability, hearing impairment
- cognitionthinking, reasoning, thought, cognition, remembering
- learning disabilitiesdyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia, learning disability
- personality typespersonality type, extrovert, MBTI, introversion, pessimist
neurotypicalneurodivergent
Having atypical brain function
neuroatypical · autistic · on the spectrum · ADHD · dyslexic
neurotypicalneurodivergent
Having atypical brain function
neuroatypical · disabled · atypical · abnormal · disordered
typical, atypical, typify, neurotic, neural, neuron, neurology, typology, neurological