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Could Assortative Mating Explain Autism?
clm1970 writes "Researcher Simon Baron-Cohen has put forth the theory that 'how we mate and marry' could explain the increase in rates of Autism Spectrum Disorders, particularly Asperger's. When two technically minded people marry and have children, so the provocative theory goes, they are more apt to produce a child who crosses the line into mild autism."
The theory of "assortative mating" was first put forth by neuroscientist Simon Baron-Cohen, a leading autism researcher and something of a rock star in the field. He's the first cousin of comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, and like his cousin, his prolific work tends toward the out-of-the-box. Combine that with his outspokenness — uncommon for a scientist — and it's clear why at a recent international conference in San Diego, he was "frequently mobbed by fellow attendees and treated with near universal adulation," Warner writes.
I don't have proof but this guy looks and sounds like he's just putting for a controversial theory to be controversial and get his name in the papers. I wouldn't give much credit here.
So we should cause cheerleaders to date nerds, and football players fangirls? Maybe no one who can name all eleven doctors should be allowed to marry at all, but rather should be put full time to impregnating Olympic athletes?
I like the idea that Aspergers is associated directly with intelligence. I also like the whorish way that the paper's author plays with the concept of eugenics to get more hits.
I also like the way that the author tries to ignore environmental conditions such as increased urbanization and subsequent hyper-socialization.
Hoist Number One and Number Six.
Does TFA add anything new?
we all know autism/aspegers is caused by vaccines....
Increasing rates in Autism are due to the ever expanding classification system of the DSM. Behaviour that was previously not included in the 'diagnosis' (qualifications, if you prefer) are now included.
You could read Jon Ronson's Psychopath Test for a small insight into the way the people behind the categorisation process simply make shit up and grow the criteria for inclusion to a category like they're pulling rabbits out of a hat stuffed with millions of rabbits.
Corporation, n. An ingenious device for obtaining individual profit without individual responsibility. - Ambrose Bierce
That's only true during high school and college, strangely enough when the 6 digit salary starts rolling in your average geeks attractiveness coefficient increases by 2 orders of magnitude.....
Obviously I'm not suggesting correlation implies causation but never the less.
if you have ENOUGH geeks just sitting around, something's BOUND to happen. Even by accident. Probability, man.
Quantum tunnelling?
That's only true during high school and college, strangely enough when the 6 digit salary starts rolling in your average geeks attractiveness coefficient increases by 2 orders of magnitude.....
Obviously I'm not suggesting correlation implies causation but never the less.
To be honest, I think at some point geeks are put in a situation where they want to become social around that salary level. They enter the work force with jobs that accept them for who they are and a sort of Peterson Principle thing happens when they get promoted to senior guy. Their incompetent at the interfacing and mentoring thing, except they actually want to do them since they actually respect the more technical project managers, and care about showing the young-ins the ropes, so they learn to be competent at them. As a side effect of this, and also being older and more confidant because they care less about being awkward. As a nice side effect of all this, the ladies that are initially attracted to geeks for their money find their personalities worth sticking around for.
--- Justin Dearing http://www.justaprogrammer.net/ We're just programmers.
Of course you're right.
Whereas, Apple fanboys...
You are welcome on my lawn.
Is that what the kids are calling it these days?