Video #7 – A Word About Negative Niche Construction |

I’m creating a series of videos to introduce my new book The Power of Neurodiversity: Unleashing the Advantages of Your Differently Wired Brain (Completely Revised and Updated Second Edition). In this video, #5 in this series, I talked about positive niche construction or the creation of favorable environmental settings within which a neurodivergent person can thrive. In this video #7, I suggest that it may be as important (or even more important in some cases), to know what are the negative niche components going on in that neurodivergent person’s life, and taking measures to neutralize them. I use aviator/industrialist and neurodivergent individual (OCD) Howard Hughes as an example of negative niche construction, noting his tendency later in his life to hole up in his hotel, never go out, cover his hotel room with paper towels and tissues because of a germ phobia, become addicted to codeine and Valium (despite having three MDs overseeing his health), sleep, and watch TV. Then I look at the eight components of positive niche construction and compare them to corresponding components of negative niche construction (positive niche construction: ”developing growth mindset,” negative niche construction: ”engaging in negative self-talk”; instead of ”paying attention to positive neurodivergent role models,” ”focusing on famous neurodivergent criminals, ”outlaw” celebrities and others” etc.).