Neurotypical

Neurotypical describes people whose neurological development follows patterns considered typical or expected — in contrast to neurodivergent people (those with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other conditions).

The concept of neurotypicality matters because it helps denaturalize assumptions about how people 'should' function. Many social, educational, and professional structures are designed exclusively around neurotypical brains — classrooms that require prolonged focus, workplaces that assume sustained attention, evaluation systems built around memory.

When a neurodivergent person can't adapt to those systems, they're often seen as the 'problem' — when in reality the system is simply a poor fit for different kinds of neurological functioning.