How does neurodiversity impact information processing, communicative competence and task performance in video mediated interactions?

As video–mediated communication becomes central to social, educational, and professional life, understanding whether these platforms meet the needs of neurodivergent users is critical. We apply the Limited Capacity Model of Motivated Mediated Message Processing (LC4MP) and cognitive load theory to examine how neurodiversity shapes information processing and communicative effectiveness in video–mediated interactions. In a within–subjects experiment, adults with autism and neurotypical participants (N = 40, 120 observations) completed tangram puzzles while interacting via different communication channels (audio–visual vs. audio), with channel choice a manipulated factor. Individuals with autism were assessed as lower in communicative competence than neurotypical participants, which negatively predicted task performance. Unexpectedly, giving individuals with autism control over their channel impeded communication, likely by increasing uncertainty and cognitive load. The findings offer preliminary evidence that neurodiversity functions as a meaningful individual difference factor within the LC4MP framework, with practical implications for the design of video–mediated platforms that support neurodiverse users.