The term "neurodivergent" covers vastly different conditions, from mild Asperger's to Alzheimer's. This ambiguity creates conflicting needs, making it difficult to create "one-size-fits-all" solutions or form a coherent lobbying group, much like the complexities within the umbrella term "European."
The DSM-5 combined Asperger's and PDD-NOS into "Autism Spectrum Disorder." A key driver was to prevent insurance companies from denying support, as an Asperger's diagnosis was often a "no funding" category, despite individuals sometimes needing significant support.
The autism "spectrum" is not a single line from less to more autistic. It is a multi-dimensional space with various clusters of traits, akin to a "10-dimensional spectrum." This complexity leads some researchers to prefer the term "autisms" to reflect this heterogeneity.
Autistic individuals often experience a "high church drift," moving from emotional, evangelical traditions to more formulaic, liturgical ones like Anglicanism. They find structured, non-emotional participation more accessible than concepts like a "personal relationship with Jesus," which 85% in one dataset reported not having.
Feelings of awe (e.g., from nature) or collective effervescence (feeling one with a crowd) are reported as absent by many with autism. This cognitive difference can make it difficult to connect with the ecstatic emotional experiences central to many religious and social rituals.
Autistic people may have a lower tolerance for cognitive dissonance. When faced with contradictions in rigid belief systems, the typical "release valves" (like faith) are often ineffective. This builds pressure until an event causes a rapid, total deconversion.
In settings like startups with many autistic engineers, neurotypical people often begin mimicking autistic communication norms (e.g., abruptness). This happens because autistic individuals tend not to assimilate to social norms, while others naturally mimic those around them, creating a distinct subculture.
Autistic individuals are often socially marginalized, making them prime targets for cults that offer a sense of belonging. Key autistic traits like black-and-white thinking and rigidity mirror cult dynamics. This, combined with fewer social ties, makes them easier to isolate.
Autistic individuals often engage in "hyper-caveating" in their writing, adding excessive qualifications and addendums to every statement. This behavior is driven by cognitive rigidity and a strong desire for precision, which can transform a simple point into a lengthy, heavily-qualified text.
The theory of a "double empathy problem" suggests mutual misunderstanding between autistic and non-autistic people, rather than an autistic deficit. However, supporting research often has methodological flaws, making it more of a useful abstraction than a proven scientific theory.
The coveted "10x engineer"—known for hyper-focus and immense productivity—often maps directly onto autistic traits. This association has made certain autistic characteristics, like abruptness and non-conformity, high-status signals, which others then mimic for perceived professional advantage.
The Broader Autism Phenotype (BAP) refers to people with subclinical autistic traits who don't qualify for a diagnosis. These individuals often share traits that lead them to gravitate towards the same fields (e.g., engineering) and social circles as autistic people.