Hunter vs. farmer theory
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page. (May 2008) |
The hunter vs. farmer theory is a hypothesis proposed by Thom Hartmann about the origins of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and adult attention-deficit disorder (AADD), that these conditions may be a result of a form of adaptive behavior. Hartmann notes that most or all humans were nomadic hunter gatherers for many thousands of years, but that this standard gradually changed as agriculture developed in most societies, and more people worldwide became farmers. Over many years, most humans adapted to farming cultures, but people with ADHD retained some of the older hunter characteristics. A key component of the theory is that the proposed "hyperfocus" aspect of ADHD is a gift or benefit. The theory also explains the distractibility factor in ADHD individuals and their short attention span, along with various other characteristics, such as apathy towards social norms, poor planning and organizing ability, distorted sense of time, impatience, and impulsiveness. It is argued that in the hunter-gatherer cultures that preceded farming societies, hunters (presumably mostly men) needed hyperfocus more than gatherers (presumably mostly women). Hartmann speculates that this gender difference is reflected in the fact that ADHD is diagnosed in over twice as many boys as girls.
Contents |
[edit] Science and the hunter vs. farmer theory
Hartmann, the originator of the theory, has stated that the hunter vs. farmer idea was intended as a mental model after his own son was diagnosed with ADHD, stating, "It's not hard science, and was never intended to be," while acknowledging that some researchers are now using the hunter vs. farmer idea as a working hypothesis about the origin of ADHD.[1]
Harpending and Cochran offer a three-phase view of history that includes hunter-gathering, female farming, and then intensive agriculture; they suggest the hypothesis that ADHD increased reproductive fitness in the second phase.[2] An important view, with considerable genetic backing, is that some of these genetic variants may have value in certain kinds of social groups, such as those that have migrated.[3][4] Genetic variants conferring susceptibility to ADHD are very frequent—implying that the trait had provided selective advantage in the past. [5]
According to evolutionary anthropologist Ben Campbell of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studies of the Ariaal, an isolated nomadic group in Kenya, suggest that impulsivity—a key trait of ADHD—has distinct advantages to nomadic peoples.[6]
[edit] See also
- Continuum concept
- Neurodiversity
- Controversy about ADHD
- Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD or ADHD)
- Adult attention-deficit disorder (AADD)
- Hyperfocus
[edit] References
- ^ Hartmann, Thom (1995). ADD Success Stories. Grass Valley, California: Underwood Books. xvii. ISBN 1-887424-04-0.
- ^ Harpending and Cochran. PNAS, Jan 8 2002
- ^ Chang et al. 1996 Human Genetics 98
- ^ Grady et al. 2003 Molecular Psychiatry 8
- ^ Arcos-Burgos and Acosta "Tuning major gene variants conditioning human behavior: the anachronism of ADHD"
- ^ [http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14100-did-hyperactivity-evolve-as-a-survival-aid-for-nomads.html Callaway, Ewan. 2008. "Did hyperactivity evolve as a survival aid for nomads?"] URL accessed 2008-06-13
- Hartmann, Thom, Attention Deficit Disorder: A New Perspective
[edit] External links
- National Mental Health association, AADD webspage
- Adult Attention Deficit Disorder website with links
- Helpguide: ADHD or ADD: Signs, Symptoms, and Subtypes
[edit] Further reading
- Hartmann,Thom "Attention Deficit Disorder, A Different Perception" subtitled "A Hunter in a Farmers World".
|
||||||||||||||||||||
