@autoperipatetikos @adelinej @Dianora @pathfinder @Tooden @filmfreak75 @actuallyautistic There's a great deal more to it. The later theory of #monotropism tends to draw distinctions between restriction of interests at a single time versus restriction of interests over a lifetime; the former can be restricted while the latter very much is not. And similar fine distinctions.

But my theory of #kaleidotropy, although an outgrowth and further development of #monotropism theory, goes beyond even these newer versions, primarily in two ways, both of which to my knowledge represent new departures:

(1) For at least some of us, the idea that our interests are in ANY way narrow or restricted — except transiently on SOME occasions — is not just in need of refinement or clarification, it's completely wrong, and even backwards. From our point of view, it is the interests of NEUROTYPICALS that are narrow and restricted! Note that this observation invalidates not only current versions of the theory of monotropism, but also the official DSM criteria for diagnosis of autism.

(2) The fundamental difference between neurotypical and autistic interest and focus of attention has nothing directly to do with wide or narrow focus. It is that neurotypical interest and attention is strongly yoked to the social and physical environment (#ecotropic), while autistic interest and attention is NOT yoked to the environment, but is autonomous (#autotropic). Classical monotropism theory acknowledges, and even emphasizes, this difference, but sees it not as fundamental, but rather as a downstream effect of restricted focus; autistics do not focus on the environment because they CANNOT — too much is going on for their restricted attentional focus to handle. But this #autotropic decoupling from the environment can occur even in the complete absence of any quantitative limitations on the amount of attention available. #Autotropism, not limited interest and attention, is fundamental. #Autotropic attention and interest is simply under far fewer constraints than #ecotropic attention and interest. It can indeed be more restricted (#monotropic), but it can also be LESS restricted — wider-ranging and more rapidly labile (#kaleidotropic).