Monotropism is based on the idea that the mind functions as an interest system – we’re all drawn to many things, and these interests help guide our attention. Autistic individuals often exhibit deep, sustained focus on a narrower range of interests or activities than non-autistic people. When an Autistic person’s attention is sparked by interest or an aspect of our environment, our attention is taken over by that single attentional scope and any competing stimuli is filtered out. This makes it difficult to shift focus or respond to things outside our current “attention tunnel,” and influences nearly every domain of our life – from cognition and communication to emotional regulation and sensory processing. Conversely, non-autistic people typically have polytropic minds, and easily spread their attention across multiple channels.
Monotropism was first articulated by Autistic researcher and advocate, Dr. Dinah Murray in 1992. ‘Mono’ means one or single, and ‘tropism’ means channel. In her pioneering work, Murray described the ‘attention tunnel’ Archimedes displayed when he ran down the streets of Syracuse naked, shouting, “Eureka!” after discovering the principle of buoyancy while taking a bath. He was so absorbed in his discovery, he was completely oblivious to the discomfort and confusion of the crowd watching him. Murray proposed he was displaying classically monotropic behaviour.
Murray’s concept of ‘monotropism’ was built upon in 2005 by herself, Autistic researcher, Wenn Lawson and Mike Lesser. Together, they proposed that monotropism offered a unifying framework to explain many aspects of Autistic behaviours and ways of processing that might otherwise appear unrelated. This was autism research’s own “Eureka!” moment – a paradigm shift away from deficit-based interpretations of autism.
Since then, a growing body of Autistic-led research and actually Autistic accounts have cemented monotropism’s place as a foundational aspect of the Autistic experience, and one which plays a critical role in cognition, processing, sensory connection, interoception and emotional regulation. Its non-pathologising reframing of autism paved the way for the emergence of the neurodiversity paradigm.
Monotropism often leads Autistic individuals into deep states of hyperfocus, known as flow states, especially when we’re engaged in areas of strong personal interest (SPINs). When individuals are supported to follow their flow states, they often thrive. As Autistic researcher and progeny of Dr. Dinah Murray, Fergus Murray (2018), explains, “Our interests pull us in very strongly and persistently … That can be a huge asset in many fields – intense focus is indispensable in science, maths, technology, music, art, and philosophy, among others.”
Autistic inertia is marked by a resistance to change in state – trouble starting, stopping, or switching tasks. This often-described Autistic experience can be accounted for by monotropism. All transitions require cognitive effort, and shifting from one focus or thought pattern to another, demands even more. When this mental energy exceeds a person’s available capacity, it can heighten stress and anxiety, increase sensory dysregulation, and ultimately lead to overwhelm.
When a monotropic mind is forced to juggle multiple attention streams, it can lead to what Tanya Adkin described in 2022 as monotropic split. This divide happens when the mind is pushed beyond its natural capacity to share attention across multiple things, resulting in anxiety, overwhelm and exhaustion. It is often caused by an unexpected transition. Meltdowns, shutdowns, burnout, demand avoidance, and chronic hyperarousal can all be traced back to monotropic split. Monotropic split can also account for the executive functioning challenges frequently experienced by Autistic individuals. It affects how we initiate tasks, follow through on plans, manage time, recall information and sequence our motor planning.
When interacting socially, polytropic individuals often spread their communication across several channels – combining words, literary devices, prosody, tone of voice, eye contact, facial expressions and body language to construct their meaning – and they expect their listener to do the same.
However, monotropic individuals do not have multiple attentional channels to simultaneously decipher metaphors, prosody and other non-verbal cues, all while actively processing and responding to verbal information. We are more likely to communicate through one channel, engaging in clear and literal communication, going deep into a passion or area of expertise – also known as “info dumping” – with no need for other channels that may risk muddying the message.
When these mismatched communication styles try to engage with each other, it creates what Autistic researcher, Damian Milton (2012) described as a ‘Double Empathy Problem’, where there is a mutual lack of understanding in communication between differently neurotyped people. Historically, this lack of understanding has been misinterpreted as a lack of Autistic social interest and has led to problematic interpretations within autism research (Jaswal & Akhtar, 2019). Monotropic theory allows us a truer understanding of Autistic social motivation which has shown Autistic adults find more rewarding relationships and communicative ease with other Autistic people (Crompton et al., 2022).
Sensory overwhelm can severely disrupt the monotropic mind, which relies on intense focus and minimal distractions to function well. When attention is forcibly redirected by intrusive sensory stimuli – such as unexpected sounds or movement – the result is not just discomfort, but a complete derailment of focus that can trigger anxiety or distress. As AuDHD Counsellor Amy Adams describes it, “A few years back, I was sitting a university exam for my psychology degree. I was in this intense state of hyper-focus, writing my answers and feeling good about the flow state I entered. Then, the person sitting the exam next to me started tapping their pencil on the desk. My attention was torn away from my writing and shifted entirely to the sound and peripheral vision of the pencil tapping. This attention shift was involuntary; I could not find a way to block out the sensory input. It was distressing to have my attention so focused on something that I did not even want to be attending to at all.”
When our singular attentional channel is hijacked by sensory stimuli, having controlled or predictable input can help. Stimming behaviours such as flapping, rocking or humming, can give Autistic individuals something to do and feel, without needing to think about it. Stimming can filter out input that threatens to cause monotropic split, allowing us to focus on something else, and mitigate overwhelm. McDonnell & Milton (2014) explored the idea that some repetitive behaviours in Autistic individuals might be understood as attempts to achieve flow states, challenging the pathologised view of repetitive behaviours as solely negative.
Fergus Murray has further expanded on the concept of monotropism, proposing in 2023 that it may not be only characteristic in autism, but account for the overlap between ADHD – or Kinetic Cognitive Style (KCS) as they prefer – and autism. Murray posits that if traits like impulsivity, inattention, and hyperactivity in ADHD exist on a continuum with, and in polarity to, Autistic inflexibility, hyperfocus, and inertia, it is possible that these continua are shaped by the same underlying monotropic attentional style.
Perhaps its potential to unify our understanding of autism and ADHD may be the next ‘Eureka!’ moment waiting to happen.
Recognising and respecting monotropism is essential to fostering environments in which autistic individuals can truly thrive. The following strategies are designed to align with monotropic cognitive styles and promote well-being, engagement, and success:
1. Leverage Focused Interests
Encourage exploration of deep interests. Provide opportunities for individuals to develop expertise and confidence.
Assign tasks that align with their focus areas, especially those requiring sustained attention or attention to detail.
2. Minimise Task Switching
Reduce unnecessary transitions and maintain consistent, predictable routines.
Use visual schedules, task boards, or other planning tools to clearly communicate expectations and upcoming changes.
3. Support Flow States
Identify activities that naturally induce flow, and use them to support motivation, regulation, and engagement.
Allow flexibility in how tasks are completed, emphasising outcomes over rigid processes or timelines.
4. Honour Cognitive Rhythms
Schedule regular breaks and quiet time to prevent overload and support recovery.
Stay attuned to signs of cognitive fatigue or overwhelm, and adjust demands accordingly.
Adkin, T. (2022). Guest Post: What is monotropic split? Emergent Divergence.
Crompton, C. J., Foster, S. J., Wilks, C. E. H., Dodd, M., Efthimiou, T. N., Ropar, D., Sasson, N. J., Lages, M., & Fletcher‑Watson, S. (2025). Information transfer within and between autistic and non‑autistic people. Nature Human Behaviour, 9, 1488–1500. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-025-02163-z
Jaswal, V. K., & Akhtar, N. (2018). Being versus appearing socially uninterested: Challenging assumptions about social motivation in autism. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 42, e82. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X18001826
McDonnell, A., & Milton, D. (2014). Going with the flow: reconsidering ‘repetitive behaviour’ through the concept of ‘flow states’. Jones,G. & Hurley, E. Eds. Good Autism Practice: autism, happiness and wellbeing. BILD, Birmingham, UK, pp. 38-47.
Milton, D. E. (2012). On the ontological status of autism: the ‘double empathy problem’. Disability & Society, 27(6), 883–887.
Murray, D. (1992). Attention Tunnelling and Autism. Living with Autism: The Individual, the Family, and the Professional. Durham Conference Proceedings. https://monotropism.org/dinah/attention-tunnelling-and-autism/
Murray, D., Lesser, M., & Lawson, W. (2005). Attention, monotropism and the diagnostic criteria for autism. Autism, 9(2), 139–156. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361305051398
Murray, F. (2018). Me and monotropism: A unified theory of autism. The Psychologist. British Psychological Society. Retrieved from https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/me-and-monotropism-unified-theory-autism
Murray, F. & Hallett, S. (2023). ADHD and monotropism. https://monotropism.org/adhd/
In addition to the above Autistic academics’ research into monotropism, there is a rich array of Autistic writing on it. We recommend:
An Introduction to Monotropism, Kieran Rose, The Autistic Advocate.
Autism & Monotropic Thinking, Melanie Martinelli, The Little Black Duck.
Explaining Autistic Experience: Monotropism, Fergus & Tanya Educate, Aucademy.
Hypersensitive, Hyperfocused and Ready for Hijack: An Autistic Experience of Sensory Anxiety, Amy Adams, Reframing Autism.
Monotropism, Helen Edgar, Autistic Realms.
Monotropism, Fergus Murray, Monotropism.org.
Monotropism, Ryan Boren, Stimpunks.
Monotropism, Fergus Murray, Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism.
Monotropism and Experiences of Being Monotropic, Helen Edgar, Autistic Realms.
Monotropism and Wellbeing, Fergus Murray, Scottish Autism Research Conference, 2022.
Monotropism Resources and Signposting, Helen Edgar, Autistic Realms.
Monotroism = Happy Flow State, Helen Edgar, Autistic Realms.
The Reframing Autism team would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we have the privilege to learn, work, and grow. Whilst we gather on many different parts of this Country, the RA team walk on the land of the Awabakal, Birpai, Whadjak, and Wiradjuri peoples.
We are committed to honouring the rich culture of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of this Country, and the diversity and learning opportunities with which they provide us. We extend our gratitude and respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and to all Elders past and present, for their wisdom, their resilience, and for helping this Country to heal.
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