‘It’s really hard for me to tell what problems mean sometimes’ – Investigating the ways neurodivergent students solve introductory physics problems 

Neurodivergent students report learning and doing physics in non-normative ways. However, there remains a dearth of research into exactly how neurdivergent students engage engage in physics problem-solving. To address this gap in the literature, we conducted multiple thematic analyses investigating neurodivergent physics problem-solving; conducting a series of think-aloud and semi-structured interviews with 17 neurodivergent physics undergraduate students. In this poster, we present findings from our multiple thematic analyses on how neurodivergent students solve introductory physics problems. We discuss specific methods of engaging with physics problem-solving such as “Firework Thought.” We discuss hidden social games that are present in physics problems that are made apparent when considering problem-solvers who are marginalized on the basis of differences in socialization.