Monotropism

Monotropism is a theory proposed by Dinah Murray, Mike Lesser, and Wenn Lawson, which holds that autism is fundamentally characterized by an attention style that tends to focus intensely on a smaller number of interests or areas at a time, rather than spreading attention more broadly (as in neurotypical, polytropic processing).

Monotropism can explain many autistic traits: special interests (a single, intensely focused attention channel), difficulty with multitasking, the disruption caused by interruptions (leaving the attention "tunnel" carries a real cost), the need for predictable routines (to minimize unexpected demands on attention), and even difficulty with overlapping conversations.

This theory is well received within the autistic community because it captures the internal experience more faithfully than the "deficit" model — and it has practical implications for support (minimizing abrupt changes, respecting focus, giving advance notice of transitions).