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Theory of Internal Functional Modulation (IFM) and Observational Annex: Evidence from Forums and Online Communities on Giftedness, ADHD, and ASD

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Theory of Internal Functional Modulation (IFM) and Observational Annex: Evidence from Forums and Online Communities on Giftedness, ADHD, and ASD
Authors: Aliste, Cristopher, orcid:0009-0003-7379-
Publisher Information: Zenodo
Publication Year: 2025
Collection: Zenodo
Subject Terms: Psychology, Cognitive psychology, Cognitive neuroscience, Cognitive Science, Cognitive Neuroscience/methods, Metacognition, Metacognition/physiology, Cognitive Science/education, Cognitive Science/methods, Cognitive Science/classification, Symbolism
Description: The Theory of Internal Functional Modulation (IFM) proposes that high-capacity and neurodivergent minds operate as complex modular systems, where internal multiplicity, cognitive compensation, background thinking, and internal symbolization constitute adaptive mechanisms. This conceptual framework interprets psychic complexity not as pathology, but as functional optimization. The present document includes an observational annex analyzing real testimonies collected from forums and online communities (in Spanish and English) of individuals with giftedness, ADHD, and ASD. The evidence is organized into three stages—childhood, adolescence, and adulthood—revealing clear correlations between the phenomena described in the theory and the experiences narrated: misdiagnoses, cognitive overload, masking strategies, and the coexistence of strengths and vulnerabilities. This combined work provides both a theoretical framework and initial evidence that connect IFM with real-world observations, thus establishing a solid foundation for future research on cognitive complexity and neurodivergence.
Document Type: report
Language: English
Relation: https://zenodo.org/records/16916190; oai:zenodo.org:16916190; https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16916190
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.16916190
Availability: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16916190
https://zenodo.org/records/16916190
Rights: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International ; cc-by-4.0 ; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
Accession Number: edsbas.D9084CB4
Database: BASE
Description
Abstract:The Theory of Internal Functional Modulation (IFM) proposes that high-capacity and neurodivergent minds operate as complex modular systems, where internal multiplicity, cognitive compensation, background thinking, and internal symbolization constitute adaptive mechanisms. This conceptual framework interprets psychic complexity not as pathology, but as functional optimization. The present document includes an observational annex analyzing real testimonies collected from forums and online communities (in Spanish and English) of individuals with giftedness, ADHD, and ASD. The evidence is organized into three stages—childhood, adolescence, and adulthood—revealing clear correlations between the phenomena described in the theory and the experiences narrated: misdiagnoses, cognitive overload, masking strategies, and the coexistence of strengths and vulnerabilities. This combined work provides both a theoretical framework and initial evidence that connect IFM with real-world observations, thus establishing a solid foundation for future research on cognitive complexity and neurodivergence.
DOI:10.5281/zenodo.16916190