A Study of Notion and Changes in the Neurodiversity

The study finds out the origin and the transition process of the notion of Neurodiversity, which has increased awareness of the Autistic trait and ADHD. The idea of Neurodiversity started in the 1990s, based on humanities and social science backgrounds, thanks to autistics' real-time debates on autistic characteristics worldwide. By the way, the notion counters the theory of mind(ToM). ToM aims to make the world a ‘neuronormal’ society by denying membership to people with Disabilities and creating ‘Autism’ as the cure target. ToM began from evolutionary psychology; deteriorated into a rationalisation tool for proving the mindblindness of autistics for downgrading into non-human by researchers in autism, including Baron-Cohen. As Autistic people refute the theory using Neurodiversity and the Double Empathy Problem(DEP), opponents block the Neurodiversity by distorting or reducing the notion. Nevertheless, a recent proposal that expands Neurodiversity into mental illnesses by 3Oceans is different from the interruption: which gives the possibility of resolving the problems from DEP of autistic people. The study will contribute to a proper understanding of Neurodiversity, Initiatives of the Neurodiversity movement, and new autistic studies in Korea: which could free autistic people resolved from isolation and objectification as the target of service and care.