Investigating the pursuit of prosocial goals among neurodivergent adults: a naturalistic prospective memory study

Neurodiversity refers to natural variations in neurological development and cognitive functioning. Individuals who diverge from typical developmental trajectories, commonly referred to as neurodivergent, often include those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Neurodivergent adults have received empirical spotlight, particularly in lab-based paradigms, in the field of prospective memory (PM), defined as the ability to remember and carry out intentions in the future. The current study (N = 62) employed a 2 (Group: Neurotypical vs. Neurodivergent) X 2 (Goal Type: Prosocial vs. Self-Interested) mixed factor design examining the impact of prosocial motivation on everyday prospective memory performance between neurodivergent and neurotypical adults. Notably, there were no group differences in PM performance. Additionally, groups did not perform better on prosocial goals over self-interested. Finally, use of cognitive offloading strategies (e.g., setting an alarm) was associated with better overall PM performance.