Perceptions of Neurodivergent Workers: Understanding Expected Behavioral Reactions Using the Stereotype Content Model and the Social Model of Disability

As much as 17% of the U.S. workforce may be neurodivergent, a term used to describe individuals whose neurological functioning is at the tail ends of the distribution of naturally occurring variation. Despite this prevalence, there has been little research conducted specifically examining neurodivergent individuals in the workplace. Subsequently, we know little about the societal perceptions or personal experiences of neurodivergent individuals in the workplace. The purpose of the current study is to examine societal perceptions of neurotypical individuals in the workplace through the lens of the stereotype content model (SCM). Specifically, the study examined societal perceptions of the warmth and competence perceptions of three common neurodivergent conditions: autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and dyslexia. I use the stereotype content model to examine how perceptions of neurodivergent workers relate to behaviors towards these groups. Additionally, I examined the influence of the endorsement of the social model of disability on perceptions of competence of neurodivergent individuals in the workplace. Findings suggest that there are differences in the warmth perceptions of the neurodivergent groups examined. Further, I found evidence that the social model endorsement is an individual difference that influences treatment of neurodivergent individuals in the workplace.