ADD: Hunters, Explorers & Dreamers...

Attention Deficit Disorder is ultimately a descriptive label that focuses on a narrow set of negative traits. Over the last few years, a growing number of experts,as well as parents who discover they would have been labeled ADD if they were a child in the 1990's, have identified a string of positive qualities associated with the label. When the positive traits are focused on, an image of an alternative of type of learner, thinker and doer emerges.

To combat the negative ADD label, several people have come up with alternative models like "Hunter" and "Explorer," which are described below.

The Hunter concept was created and popularized by Thom Hartmann in the 1993 book "ADD - A Different Perception" and the follow-up book "Beyond ADD." In his book, Hartmann theorized that ADDers were essentially left over hunters in a farmer's world. 10,000 years ago, most people would have had Hunter traits. These traits, such as constantly scanning the environment (for prey), the ability fall into a dream-like state for long periods (during down periods) combined with the ability to become suddenly hyperfocused and thrive on danger and excitement (the hunt), helped these people survive. There was no need to remain focused on boring tasks. Until the agricultural revolution, that is, during which the farmer types outcompeted the hunter types, to the near extinction of the Hunters. Agricultural populations wiped out Hunter populations. Farmers needed to plan ahead and to tend their fields with care. They needed a different sort of temperament; more of a worker-bee personality. Hunters would forget to weed, forget to plant. Hartmann cited evidence that hunter-gatherer populations left on the planet appear to have a very high rate of ADD traits while populations which have been long agriculturilized, like China, have low levels of ADD traits. Hartmann's book was very radical for its time, but was well received by many ADDers as well as some experts in the field of ADD.

In the 1990's, the Hunter isn't looking for an actual Caribou to slay. Instead, he or she is hunting in a metaphorical sense. Hunting for excitement. Hunting for the prize: the cure for cancer or the truth in the theory of global warming. Hunting for the mental or physical stimulation to mimic the hunt of our ancestors. Entrepreneurs are a good example. Schools are designed by and for Farmers, and Hunters have a very difficult time since they are genetically designed to Hunt.

The Explorer concept is my creation. In this model, a minority of our population has "exploration" genes because it makes our population more fit. Social species require a variety of temperaments within a population, for example, not everyone can have the traits of a leader, nor a follower, because our social structure would fall apart. These are not obsolete relic genes, but continue to be selected for in the modern world, although they may have been far more prevalent in the past, as Hartmann suggests. A parallel in the animal world is the honey bee, where 95% of the population are Worker Bees and 5% are Streaker Bees. The Streaker Bees normally don't do much of anything, but become essential when it's time to find a new nesting site. Both "temperaments" need each other, and both are normal but very different from each other. Diversity is key to the survival of a population.

Explorers are constantly seeking to find something new in either a physical or cerebral sense. Columbus was an Explorer; he was looking for new travel routes. Einstein was exploring physics and looking for answers to unsolvable questions. Edison explored the world of inventions, and Mozart explored new ideas in music. None were satisfied to accept what they were taught; each forged ahead with their own ideas because they were compulsively driven to explore. The drive for independence, enthusiasm, imagination, originality and the need to discover something new goes hand-in-hand with creativity and ADD.

Many ADDers, in turns out, are visual thinkers, as were some of the most important scientists and artists of history. Along with visual thinking are other traits associated with right-brain thinking such as intuitive and holistic thinking styles (bad with details); good puzzles solving abilities; strong visual memories but poor verbal memories; poor handwriting or being generally uncoordinated; relative difficulties with reading, listening or writing (compared with spatial skills); problems with sequential thinking; disorganization; and being highly creative. In extreme cases visual thinkers may be very dyslexic, can't tell left from right, and may have incredible spatial abilities. As children, visual thinkers may have difficulties in school, although smart, moderately visual people may do fine. The book "Right-Brained Children in a Left-Brained World: Unlocking the Potential of Your ADD Child" is written by a teacher of ADD children who has found methods to help the visual thinker. I took a test in the book and came out a "moderate" visual thinker. The methods and observations described by the author made sense to me (and explains why my reading comprehension is better when I read faster).

This is a view consistent with the "Explorer" concept. Long ago Jung formulated a complex theory on temperament diversity which was found to be incredibly accurate and useful, even today. Essentially, there is no one "correct" temperament, although certain temperaments may be culturally favored. Each temperament has it's own strengths and weaknesses and it is the mixing of all these temperaments that help a population thrive.

Jungian temperament types are defined by four opposing preferences which make up a total of sixteen different temperaments. People within certain temperaments, especially the divergent thinkers, are more likely to be classified ADD. Listen to this description of a normal "ESFP" from the book "Nurture by Nature."

This is a great example of how temperament researchers view such behavior as "normal" while psychologists and teachers view it as abnormal. It is classic ADHD behavior. Yet it is to be expected from children with a certain combination of thinking and perceiving preferences (in this case extroversion + sensory perception + emotion based decision making + divergent thinking). President Clinton is a classic ESFP, and debate has been raging over whether he is ADHD or not (most ADDers think he is). I don't think our president has a brain defect - he's simply acting true to temperament (P.S. even the zipper problems are consistent with his temperament!). He is known as a highly divergent thinker who can see both sides of an issue and who has trouble making decisions. And he just LOVES being at the center of attention while his speeches just seem to go on and on.... Very typical stuff for an ESFP. The very traits that help him in some regards hurt him in other ways.

All parents and teachers should read the book "Nurture by Nature" by Paul D. Tieger & Barbara Barron-Tieger. The authors do an excellent job of describing the sixteen temperament types from infancy through the teenage years, and teach you how to figure out your child's temperament. I suspected my son was an ENTP, the same temperament as ADD poster-boy Thomas Edison, so when I got the book I immediately turned to that section. I was absolutely floored at how accurate the description was. Simply amazing! We called him "The Negotiator." The subheading for ENTP was "Everything's Negotiable." The authors then described how ENTPs are high-energy children who are very challenging to raise.

For adults I recommend the book "Please Understand Me" by David Keirsey. For more information see my section on temperament, where you can take an online test to determine your type.

Many people diagnosed as ADD are "gifted." The definition of giftedness is somewhat arbitrary, and there are probably many kids out there who are not quite gifted but still smarter than most of their peers. "Bright" kids may display the same behavioral traits as gifted kids, which are strikingly similar to ADD traits (see below).

Traits of Gifted/Creative Kids (From the National Foundation for the Gifted and Creative)

A. High sensitivity
B. Excessive amounts of energy.
C. Bores easily and may appear to have a short attention span.
D. Requires emotionally stable and secure adults around him/her.
E. Will resist authority if it not democratically oriented.
F. Have preferred ways of learning; particularly in reading and mathematics.
G. May become easily frustrated because of his/her big ideas and not having the resources or people to assist him/her in carrying these tasks to fruition.
H. Learns from an exploratory level and resists rote memory and just being a listener.
I. Cannot sit still unless absorbed in something of his/her own interest.
J. Very compassionate and has many fears such as death and loss of loved ones.
K. If they experience failure early, may give up and develop permanent learning blocks.

There are various definitions of giftedness out there, but in general a person is considered gifted by meeting one of the following characteristics:

1. An IQ of 130 or over.
2. Aptitude or achievement in a particular subject, such as math (generally being in the 97th percentile).
3. Creative and productive thinking. ADDers are more likely to be gifted in this area than others. Characteristics include openness to experience, setting personal standards for evaluation, ability to play with ideas, willingness to take risks, preference for complexity, tolerance for ambiguity, positive self-image, and the ability to become submerged in a task. Students may be identified through tests like the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking or through demonstrated creative performance.
4. Leadership ability.
5. Visual and performing arts. ADDers may be over-represented in this category.
6. Psychomotor ability (seldom used).

The link between ADD traits and IQ might be explained by the presence of Over-Excitabilities (OEs). Dabrowski's Theory of Positive Disintegration suggested that people with OEs have a higher level of potential development than others. Later research verified that OEs are related to intelligence. Over-excitabilities include physical, imaginational, and cognitive excitabilities, all of which would lead someone down the path to an ADD diagnosis.

Many proponents of the Gifted will say that a child with an IQ of 130 is not ADD, rather, they are Gifted. However, the DSM IV diagnostic criteria for ADD do not exclude people who meet the criteria due to giftedness, and gifted ADDers can experience the same problems as non-gifted ADDers. For example, they are often underachievers and have social difficulties.

Creativity (a subcategory of Gifted) has been studied for some time now. Researchers have tried to define the traits of people who are creatively gifted for years. The list of creative traits is amazingly similar to the traits of ADD, and to some extent, Giftedness. At the same time, ADD experts began to see that people diagnosed with ADD often were very creative. Eventually, the two lines of research were compared and Dr. Bonnie Cramond wrote a paper called "The Coincidence of ADHD and Creativity." People who score high in tests of creativity also show more hyperactivity than other children. And children diagnosed with ADHD score higher on tests of creativity. There is obviously a very large overlap between what we call ADD and creativity.

"Creative" or "Creatively Gifted" are labels applied to people who exhibit a high levels of creativity, either through obvious talent (e.g. painting) or by testing. The Torrance Test is often used for testing creativity. Creative people often have high IQs, but not all test in the Gifted range. Interestingly, above IQs of 125, there is no correlation between IQ and creativity when such tests are given. In the book "Music, the Brain, and Ecstasy," the author Robert Jourdain is surprised that famous classical musicians had IQs less than one might think. While famous geniuses like Goethe and John Stuart Mill had estimated IQs of about 200, historic musicians were estimated to have IQs in a relatively lower range. Mozart was the highest at 155, Mendelssohn was 150, Handel 145, Beethoven 135, Bach 125, Haydn 120 and Gluck 110. Note that under this study, Bach, Haydn and Gluck would not have even been considered "Gifted." They were, however, quite obviously creative. Moreover, research on thousands of musicians has shown that IQ is almost irrelevant to musical ability beyond a certain base level.

The ramification is that a child may possess unrealized creative talents which are not picked up by IQ tests. Only tests of creativity might pick up an instinct for creative thinking, and even these tests can fail to pick up a potential Bach or Haydn. Creativity is used in many endeavors, not just art.

The National Foundation for the Gifted and Creative have championed Creative kids for years. The founder, Marie Friedel, says she doesn't believe in ADD. "I absolutely do not accept it... You see, gifted children haven't been taken care of, and the creatively gifted have been neglected even more. And they may not exhibit a high IQ. The Torrance Tests are the ones you have to use, because those discover the child's learning preference."

The Foundation lists several creative traits which present problems for the Gifted/Creative child. I personally identified more with this list than ADD lists.

These terms were coined by Lucy Jo Palladino in "The Edison Trait." Palladino applied the Edison Trait to about 20% of the population, a larger group than diagnosed ADDers. However, almost all ADDers are thought to have the Edison Trait. I would add that most people with the Edison Trait would be at risk of being identified as ADD under certain circumstances, for example, being forced to sit in a rigid and boring classroom with a judgmental teacher. Pallidino divides Edison Trait people into three categories. Many ADDers would fit into more than one category. I found these categories, and the tips and explanations which went along with them, quite useful. I now think of my son primarily as a Discoverer, a text book example perhaps. And I'm a Dreamer/Discoverer.

Dreamers live inside their own highly imaginative minds. They enjoy art, stories, ideas and personal meaning. They may "have blank expressions on their faces or may look a little dazed. Actually, they are floating through one or several ideas in another realm, a world of their own." Dreamers often like sensory experiences and are drawn to color, texture, taste, and sound. Many (but not all!) ADD women fit well under this category. Example: Anne Morrow Lindbergh (writer and pilot) and Emily Dickinson (writer).

Discoverers like to experiment and to see for themselves what happens (warning: they like to experiment with breaking rules). They are master "testers of the system" and are insistent in their opinions, passionate, spontaneous, and often dramatic and entertaining. Independence is a critical requirement of the Discoverer. This type may be destined for the sciences, technology or business. Discoverers are very visual and they enjoy speed. When they find the people around them to be boring, they try to provoke them into more interesting behavior, typically by using humor (which can backfire, trust me). Discoverers are especially prone to hyperfocusing and multitasking. Examples: Henry Ford, Thomas Edison (inventors and entrepreneurs).

Dynamos are those kids who are so full of energy it is a miracle they survive; "fuel-injected speedsters." It is the incredible energy level which most separates the Discoverer from the Dynamo. Major thrill seekers and risk takers, they jump off of roofs and may be aggressive. They love a race or a dare and especially love speed. They seem fearless and are impulsive. Dynamos are probably the stereotype of ADD and hyperactivity, never sitting still and constantly getting hurt. Example: Jesse Owens (1936 winner of four Olympic Gold Medals).

The author of this article identifies over-focusing as something completely different from ADD. I'm not so sure, since the terms ADD and ADHD encompass a wide spectrum of attention differences, and the author seems to have some misconceptions about ADD. From everything I've read and based on many letters and online discussions, it seems to me that MOST ADDers have bipolar attention traits. That is, either they aren't paying attention or they're hyperfocusing. I would also add that gifted children very often are perfectionists and will display such traits.

These terms are useful for confusing your friends. Divergent thinking is a creative style of thinking. Instead of coming to a point or a close, your thoughts tend to branch out, constantly exploring new avenues. These avenues may take you well into the ozone. Divergent thinking leads to creativity. Convergent thinking leads to getting things done.

Convergent thinking: I need to make supper, but I don't have any celery. I'll go to the store and buy some.

Divergent thinking. I need to make supper, but I don't have any - look a bird - celery. Actually, I had some yesterday, but I ate it all with peanut butter. Why did I do that? The peanut butter was good though, and it was that all natural kind. Surprised me. I thought it would taste terrible. I should try some other all natural products. Like those cookies I saw in the store last time. They were sweetened with molasses. I wonder if molasses is just as bad as sugar. Maybe there's a website about that, perhaps if I searched under hypoglycemia or diabetes. While I'm here, I'll check my email. Oh look, a letter from Ann! Wow, she want's to go to Lilith Fair with me. Alright! I should get some CDs from the Lilith Fair artists so I know what they're singing. Good idea, I'm going to the music store right now. Wait, but I'm hungry, what do we have to eat! Oh yeah, no celery...

Lateral thinking is similar to divergent thinking. The idea is that most people think in a sequential or serial manner. Step one, step two, step three. Lateral thinkers don't do that, and find serial thinking dry and boring. Lateral thinkers are intuitive and often come up with answers without knowing how they got the answer. Serial thinkers can explain each step they took to arrive at the answer.

Both divergent and lateral thinking are associated with the right hemisphere of the brain, while convergent and serial thinking are associated with the left hemisphere. This is why creative people are more likely to exhibit mixed or right brain dominance than the general population.

If you think you experience things more intensely than everyone else, you might be a Highly Sensitive Person, or HSP. This term was coined by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D., in the book "The Highly Sensitive Person - How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You." HSPs seem to have a larger and more sensitive "antennae" for receiving information from the world. As a result, what other people miss, the HSP may pick up immediately. You may delight in some subtle detail that others do not even see, like dust floating in a sunbeam, but your senses may become overwhelmed at malls or big parties.

"High levels of stimulation (e.g., a noisy classroom) will distress and exhaust HSP's sooner than others. While some will withdraw, a significant number of boys especially will become hyperactive." Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D., "The Highly Sensitive Person"

A less sensitive child might go to school one day and immediately begin to play, while a more sensitive child in the same class might notice that "the teacher is in bad mood, one of the children is looking angry, and some bags are in the corner that were not there before" and hesitate to enter the room. Sensitivity can be good or bad, depending on the circumstances. If a tornado is approaching, for example, a sensitive person is more likely to realize the danger first. The artist is more likely to notice subtle aspects in a painting; the musician to really 'feel' their music. And the student is more likely to notice the bird outside the window or be distracted by their rich inner thoughts. Sensitivity is a trait listed for both gifted and creative children, and a large number of ADDers describe themselves as very sensitive.

Highly sensitive people now find themselves in a very fast and noisy environment, which tends overwhelm their finely tuned senses. A trip to the mall or grocery store may be an assault on the senses. Although Dr. Aron believes that most HSPs are introverts, she suggests a second type of sensitivity which I identified with immediately (as a mild extravert). This type of HSP would be "both very curious and very cautious, bold yet anxious, easily bored yet easily overaroused. The optimal level of arousal is a narrow range. One could say there is a constant power struggle..." This type of person is said to have a very strong "pause-to-check" system as well as a strong "activation" system.

According to Dr. Aron, HSPs are more "right-brained" (less linear, more creative), often think about their own thinking, are able to learn without being aware they have learned (intuitive), and are deeply affected by other people's moods. HSPs are more likely to have allergies or chemical sensitivities, less likely to get a good night of sleep, and tend to be visionaries, highly intuitive artists or inventors, as well as conscientious, cautious, and wise people.