"I don't have a good metric for what other people think:" Unpacking the double empathy problem in neurodivergent physics problem-solving

Abstract

Learning is a social act and requires communication between interlocutors. It is a process that takes place in a socially constructed neurotypical-normative system. These neurotypical-normative systems can marginalize neurodivergent students, who oftentimes have non-normative socio-cognitive differences. We investigate 3 neurodivergent physics students' experiences solving physics problems and navigating physics culture. We use a Double-Empathy Problem lens to uncover how communication breakdowns can manifest for neurodivergent students in physics. We find that the 3 neurodivergent students experience communication breakdowns in their interactions with peers and instructors and in interpreting problem statements. Furthermore, we find evidence that neurotypical-normative communication expectations in physics culture could be the source of negative effects present in participants' interviews, such as participants' fear of being misinterpreted or feeling as though they are viewed as stupid.