3.2 normality and neurotypicality

• neurotypical people are those who think, feel and behave in ways that most people do
• neurotypical people have expected brain development and neurological connections
• neurodivergent people are those who think, feel and behave differently from most people
• neurodivergent people have difference in brain development which are in the brains structure and connections
• neurodivergent people include people with diagnosable neurodevelopment disorders
• individuals who are considered neurotypical and neurodivergent can have both adaptive and maladaptive emotions, behaviours and cognition
• emotional competence refers to

  • recognising emotional states of others
  • having the ability to express own emotions
• emotional regulation refers to having the ability to apply procedures to control an emotion
• variations in behaviour always exist, but typical behaviour is often dictated by societal and cultural norms. These behaviours can also be maladaptive
• cognition refers to thought processes used to interpret, experience and respond adaptively
• maladaptive thinking is problematic when it leads to negative and distorted thoughts that dominate feelings and behaviour
• the neurological connections and the size of some brain structures can differ between neurodivergent and neurotypical people
• neurodivergent people process information in different ways from neurotypical people