Focus: Neurobiology, specific neurotypes, clinical handbooks, and the transition from label to active neurodivergence.
Reading list 2 for the Brain Profile Matrix, organized into five main themes, each subdivided into specific sub-themes. For every (sub)theme the most prominent authors from the list have been grouped together.
1. Foundations of Neurodiversity & Neuroscience
This cluster contains the medical, psychological and neuroscientific frameworks that define what neurodiversity is and how specific cognitive wirings (such as autism spectrum, ADHD and dyslexia) work.
Conceptual frameworks and definitions
- Singer (1999) — The historical source in which the term "neurodiversity" was coined.
- Baumer & Frueh (2021); Johns Hopkins University (2022) — Modern, accessible introductions and definitions of neurodivergence.
- Apperly et al. (2024) — The transdiagnostic approach via the N+4 model.
- Legault, Bourdon & Poirier (2021); Walker & Raymaker (2021) — Critical reflections on cognitive marginalization and the shift from neurodiversity to active neurodivergence.
- Thunberg (2019) — Social expression/activism (Greta Thunberg on being "proud to be on the spectrum").
Neuroscience and cognitive functions
- Buzsáki (2011) — Foundational work on brain rhythms and neural networks.
- Purves et al. (2018) — The standard reference/handbook of neuroscience.
- Funahashi & Andreau (2013) — Research into the prefrontal cortex and the neural mechanisms behind executive functions.
- Tulving & Markowitsch (1998) — Memory systems (episodic and declarative) and the role of the hippocampus.
Specific neurotypes and clinical handbooks
- Barkley (2014); Asherson et al. (2012) — Handbooks and diagnostics of ADHD (and the societal under-diagnosis in adults).
- Baron-Cohen et al. (2009) — Talent in autism: hyper-systemizing and extreme attention to detail.
- Maclennan, O'Brien & Tavassoli (2022); Mandy (2019) — The sensory experiences of autistic adults and the phenomenon of "social camouflaging" (putting on the mask).
- Raymaker et al. (2020) — Defining "autistic burnout."
- Reid (2016); Taylor & Vestergaard (2022) — Dyslexia viewed as a specialization in exploration rather than purely a disorder.
- Fellowes (2024) — The philosophical/psychiatric accuracy of self-diagnosis.
2. Cognitive Diversity and Team Dynamics (The Invisible Architecture)
This theme forms the bridge between how individuals think and how they function as a group. How do different thinking styles interact within a team?
Cognitive diversity, conflict and team performance
- van Rijswijk, Curseu & van Oortmerssen (2024) — A systemic and integrative review of cognitive and neurodiversity in groups (essential for your framework).
- Mello & Rentsch (2015); Mello & Delise (2015) — Multidisciplinary reviews of cognitive diversity in relation to cohesion and conflict management.
- Martins et al. (2013) — The moderating role of psychological safety in cognitively diverse teams.
- Olson, Bao & Parayitam (2007) — Strategic decision-making, cognitive diversity and the role of trust.
- Younis (2019); Mitchell, Nicholas & Boyle (2009) — How openness to cognitive diversity leads to creativity and knowledge creation within a collaborative climate.
Team composition, demography and faultlines
- van Knippenberg & Schippers (2007); Williams & O'Reilly (1998) — Large-scale reviews of diversity in work groups.
- Homan & van Knippenberg (2014); Jehn, Bezrukova & Thatcher (2007) — Theories of "faultlines" and conflicts in diverse teams.
- Kearney, Gebert & Voelpel (2009) — When diversity helps a team: the importance of team members' "need for cognition."
- Nguyen, Lin & Chang (2023) — The effect of demographic diversity on the cognitive processes of the Top Management Team (TMT).
Information processing and decision-making styles
- Miller (1956) — The classic on the limits of our short-term memory (The magical number seven, plus or minus two).
- Scott & Bruce (1995) — Measuring and assessing individual decision-making styles.
- Richardson (1977) — The cognitive dimension between verbal and visual thinking (Verbalizer-Visualizer).
- Sirota & Juanchich (2018) — Research into cognitive reflection (Cognitive Reflection Test).
3. Neurodiversity in the Workplace & Human Resource Management (HRM)
This cluster operationalizes neurodiversity into practice: how do you design an organization so that neurodivergent talent flourishes?
Strategic advantage and HRM practice
- Austin & Pisano (2017) — The Harvard Business Review classic: neurodiversity as a competitive advantage.
- Hennekam & Follmer (2024) — A practice-oriented review and research agenda for HRM around neurodiversity.
- Bruyère & Colella (2023) — Handbook on the interests, issues and opportunities of neurodiversity in the workplace.
- Krzeminska & Hawse (2020); Houdek (2022) — "Mainstreaming" neurodiversity (including the autism spectrum) for a sustainable, inclusive workforce.
- LeFevre-Levy et al. (2023) — Positioning neuroatypicality as a formal form of workplace diversity.
Workplace design, remote work and crisis
- Szulc (2022); Szulc, McGregor & Cakir (2021) — The AMO model (Ability, Motivation, Opportunity) applied to a neuro-inclusive (remote) workplace, specifically in times of crisis.
- Weber et al. (2022) — Physical workplace adjustments to support neurodivergent employees (systematic review).
- Johnson & Ahluwalia (2024) — Neurodiversity within specific demanding sectors, such as healthcare.
4. Inclusion Policy, ERGs and the Danger of "Diversity Washing"
This theme highlights the ethical and communicative side of corporate diversity policy. It draws a sharp distinction between genuine inclusion and window-dressing.
"Diversity Washing" and symbolic communication
- Baker et al. (2024) — The hard financial/accounting approach to "diversity washing."
- Gillberg (2024); Bartoli & Rouet (2023) — Online corporate communication: is diversity a factual strategic approach or a "washing process" as a form of "aspirational talk"?
- Christensen, Morsing & Thyssen (2013) — Corporate social responsibility (CSR) as "aspirational talk" (talking about who you want to be).
- Ellerup Nielsen & Thomsen (2007); Garczarek-Bąk, Kubaszewska & Lemańczyk (2024) — The ethics and reporting of CSR versus unethical practices.
Inclusion practices and supportive networks (Allyship & ERGs)
- Byrd (2022); Green (2024) — The power of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to support morally inclusive organizations and developmental relationships.
- Creary, Rothbard & Scruggs (2021) — Improving workplace culture through "evidence-based" DEI practices.
- Perales (2022) — The effect of diversity training and "ally networks" in the workplace (tested within the LGBTQ+ context, but methodologically applicable more broadly).
- Colgan & McKearney (2012) — Giving "visibility and voice" to minorities in organizations.
- Shore et al. (2009); Yadav & Lenka (2020) — Systematic reviews of where diversity management comes from and where it is heading.
5. Entrepreneurship & Methodological Justification
A smaller but crucial cluster that specifically links to innovation/entrepreneurship and to how you handle data with integrity.
Neurodiversity and Entrepreneurship (ADHD & Innovation)
- Artamoshina et al. (2023) — How CEOs' ADHD symptoms are directly linked to business model innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
- Moore, McIntyre & Lanivich (2021); Dimic & Orlov (2014) — The strong entrepreneurial drive (entrepreneurial mindset) and tendencies among people with ADHD.
Methodological integrity
- Kirkman & Chen (2011) — Methodological guideline: how to avoid "slicing" data when drawing multiple papers from a single dataset (essential for PhD candidates).