A Perceptual Control Perspective on Neurodiversity: Am I Abnormal or Simply in Control?

According to the Western medical model, mental disorders can be diagnosed and treated similar to physical illnesses. Individuals who deviate from what is considered normal, typical and acceptable, are labelled as disordered. After decades of developing standards to classify symptoms into categories of disorders, exemplified by the DSM, there is a growing demand to move away from this form of classification. The neurodiversity community advocates for a paradigm shift, from the pathology paradigm towards the neurodiversity paradigm. Within this context, there is an ongoing search for a model to explain individual differences. To evaluate whether a model meets the needs of the neurodiversity community, the following criteria have been identified: variety in being, diversity in functioning, and inclusivity of diversity. This theoretical study discusses three proposed alternative models against these criteria: the traits model, the biopsychosocial model, and the ecological model. Additionally, it introduces another model, Perceptual Control Theory (PCT; Powers, 1973), a functional model based on the properties of negative feedback. This paper argues that the perceptual control model meets the identified criteria. Variety in humanity is better understood when individuals are regarded as active agents (control systems). The hierarchy of control offers a deeper insight into why we behave differently and why we pursue different goals. The transdiagnostic process of loss of control, underlying all forms of psychopathology, provides a framework to understand a wide range of psychological manifestations. PCT proposes a shift in perspective, from categorising differences into disorders to understanding differences through the control of perception.