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Dyslexia, Not Disorder

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DYSLEXIA
Published online 17 December 2008 in Wiley InterScience
(www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI: 10.1002/dys.379

& INNOVATIONS AND INSIGHTS

E

ditorial note. There has been a lot of clinical speculation about the ‘survival value’ of dyslexia. If one takes an evolutionary perspective, the cognitive skills associated with being dyslexic must have some value—something Scott
(2004) and this article speculate on.
In addition, the comments that dyslexics tend to do rather better at three-dimensional spatial skills and ‘Gestalt’ overviews of situations are touched on.
The idea of dyslexia not being a disorder is one that I personally like. I often look upon dyslexia as an individual difference in learning styles—one might describe me as being, for example, ‘dysgolfic’, but luckily, playing golf does not impinge on my every day life!
As always with Innovations and Insight, the objective is to put an idea out there and invite people to comment and also undertake some research in the area.
Scott N.R. (2004) Dyslexia and Counselling, Whurr/Wiley.

Copyright r 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

DYSLEXIA 15: 363–366 (2009)

364

Innovations and Insights

Dyslexia, Not Disorder
K. Ehardt
Washington

When examining dyslexia, one must address the paradox of how a disorder that is both heritable and disadvantageous can be so common (Keller & Miller, 2006).
There is a range of estimates on the occurrence of dyslexia, with the higher end reaching 8% of the population (Turkington & Harris, 2006). Natural selection cannot account for such prolificacy in a maladaptive trait. I propose that dyslexia results from a way of thinking that once provided an ancestral advantage.
If dyslexia were an adaptation, we would expect to find it consistently accompanied by potentially useful traits. A literature review reveals three areas of strength for most dyslexics. Many dyslexics excel mechanically, finding it simple to assemble very complex structures (Geschwind, 1982; Turkington &
Harris, 2006; Vail, 1990). It is common for dyslexics to perceive whole ideas and concepts rather than focusing on individual details (Facoetti, Paganoni, Turatto,
Marzola, & Mascetti, 2000; Pothos & Kirk, 2004; Shaywitz, 2005, p. 39). In addition, many dyslexics solve problems competently, and are logically gifted
(Davis & Braun, 1997; Everatt, Steffert, & Smythe, 1999; Pollock, 2001; Shaywitz,
2005, pp. 37, 38, 53). It has been hypothesized that dyslexics think non-verbally; hence they recall pictures rather than words (Davis & Braun, 1997; West, 1991).
This theory is not complete, as dyslexia does exist in logographic languages
(Shaywitz, 2005) and reading is a visual activity. Specifically, dyslexics show three-dimensional (3D) understanding alongside symbolic, two-dimensional difficulties (Vail, 1990). This 3D mental processing could account for all of the aforementioned skills. Such thinkers may hold an actual image of a concept, literally seeing the ‘big picture’. Mechanically, being able to envision a 3D object and imagine it from multiple angles would allow for easy assembly of complex parts. This mental modeling of abstract concepts would make it simple to see how information fits together, and thus aid problem identification and resolution.
Assuming that dyslexia results from 3D thought processing, the successive question is why natural selection would favour this trend. Although it is impossible to directly study early human cultures, we can glean insights from modern hunter-gatherers (HG). These groups have also evolved since diverging from our shared ancestral origins, yet we can acknowledge that their ways of living are more similar to traditional HG than our own. Through observing modern HG cultures we obtain insight into our history.
In an attempt to compose the most accurate picture of HG lifestyle, a cross examination was done of several cultures. Information was gathered from the
!Kung of southern Africa (Hames & Draper, 2004; Shostak, 2002; Smith, 2004),
Ache of South America (Hawkes & Bliege Bird, 2002; Smith, 2004), Hadza of east
Africa (Hawkes & Bliege Bird, 2002; Marlowe, 2004; Smith, 2004), Inuit of the
Artic (Poncins, Galantiere, & Gardner, 2005), Lamalera of Indonesia (Smith, 2004),
Meriam of Melanesia (Bird & Bliege Bird, 2002; Hawkes & Bliege Bird, 2002;
Copyright r 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

DYSLEXIA 15: 363–366 (2009)
DOI: 10.1002/dys

Innovations and Insights

365

Smith, 2004), and the Tsimane of the Bolivian Amazon (Gurven, Kaplan &
Gutierrez, 2006).
These publications indicate that the ability to work with one’s hands is of the utmost importance to the HG lifestyle. The same mental and physical processes that can be applied to mechanical tasks are used in the construction of tools and shelters, as well as processing plants and animals. Navigational skills, which would be aided by 3D mental mapping, are essential to HG. A successful HG must be competent in many areas. Ability to see the big picture and make connections between different facets of life would make an HG best adapted. In many HG cultures, individuals are expected to either learn implicitly or create fresh solutions, thus solving novel problems.

DISCUSSION
It is probable that 3D mental imaging would prove advantageous in an HG society. The ability to have mechanical competency, see the big picture and draw connections, as well as create novel solutions to problems would offer clear benefits. There would have been no evolutionary effect of reading difficulties, due to the lack of written language. If the benefits are so salient, why are not all modern humans dyslexic? First, we can assume that other modes of information processing are also beneficial (e.g. 2D imaging, audio, discrete focus) in certain environments. Second, this conceptual modality most likely exists along a continuum. Almost all humans possess the ability to think visually and to imagine 3D images to a greater or lesser extent (Davis & Braun, 1997). Dyslexia does not represent the only form of 3D thought, but the extreme end (see illustration). In dyslexia, the ability to think three-dimensionally is so strong that it may prevent the ability to process information in other ways.
Objective testing needs yet to occur. A first step would be to conduct tests that monitor the spatial-relations skills in dyslexics, non-dyslexics, and modern HG.
Tasks requiring the assembly of 3D objects, mental mapping through winding environments, and problem solving would help illuminate trends of 3D thought processing. This theory predicts that HG and dyslexics would perform significantly better on 3D tasks than their westernized non-dyslexic counterparts. This theory also predicts a high rate of dyslexia among modern
HG; as traditional culture vanishes (Shostak, 2002, pp. 309–313) such information will become available.
Validity could also be assessed by application of this material to a classroom setting. According to this theory, a 3D model alphabet would be better adapted to a dyslexic brain than the traditional 2D model. Introducing dyslexic children to
3D representations of each letter should have noticeable results.

Copyright r 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

DYSLEXIA 15: 363–366 (2009)
DOI: 10.1002/dys

366

Innovations and Insights

CONCLUSION
Modern explanations of dyslexia do not offer a solid argument as to why this heritable and disadvantageous disorder can exist at such a high rate. I offer a theory that states that the mental processes that create dyslexia also provided strong evolutionary benefits. Dyslexics have consistently shown talents of 3D thought processing. This way of thinking would have been distinctly useful to our HG ancestors. In light of such evidence, we must re-examine whether dyslexia is actually a malfunction of internal mechanisms (Wakefield, 1992), or whether it is instead a strategically designed adaptive solution.
References
Davis, R., & Braun, E. (1997). The gift of dyslexia: Why some of the smartest people can’t read; and how they can learn (1st Perigee ed.). New York, NY: The Berkley Publishing Group.
Everatt, J., Steffert, B., & Smythe, I. (1999). An eye for the unusual: Creative thinking in dyslexics. Dyslexia, 5, 28–46.
Facoetti, A., Paganoni, P., Turatto, M., Marzola, V., & Mascetti, G. (2000). Visual-spatial attention in developmental dyslexia. Cortex, 36, 109–123.
Geschwind, N. (1982). Why Orton was right. Annals of Dyslexia, 32, 13–30.
Gurven, G., Kaplan, H., & Gutierrez, M. (2006). How long does it take to become a proficient hunter? Implication for the evolution of extended development and long life span. Journal of Human Evolution, 51, 454–470.
Hames, R., & Draper, P. (2004). Women’s work, child care, and helpers-at-the-nest in a hunter-gatherer society. Human Nature—An Interdisciplinary Biosocial Perspective, 15(4),
319–341.
Hawkes, K., & Bliege Bird, R. (2002). Showing off, handicap signaling, and the evolution of men’s work. Evolutionary Anthropology, 11, 58–67.
Keller, M., & Miller, G. (2006). Resolving the paradox of common, harmful, heritable mental disorders: Which evolutionary genetic models work best? Behavioral and Brain
Sciences, 29, 385–452.
Marlowe, F. (2004). Mate preferences among Hadza hunter-gatherers. Human Nature—An
Interdisciplinary Biosocial Perspective, 15(4), 365–376.
Pollock, J. (2001). IQ Tests. Dyslexia, 7, 171–173.
Pothos, E., & Kirk, J. (2004). Investigating learning deficits associated with dyslexia.
Dyslexia, 10, 61–76.
Shaywitz, S. (2005). Overcoming dyslexia: A new and complete science-based program for reading problems at any level (1st ed.). New York: Vintage Books.
Shostak, M. (2002). Nisa: The life and words of a !Kung woman (4th ed.). United States: First
Harvard University Press.
Smith, E. (2004). Why do good hunters have higher reproductive success? Human Nature—
An Interdisciplinary Biosocial Perspective, 15(4), 343–364.
Turkington, C., & Harris, J. (2006). The encyclopedia of learning disabilities (2nd ed.) New
York, NY: Facts on File.
Vail, P. (1990). Gifts, talents, and the dyslexias: Wellsprings, springboards, and finding
Foley’s rocks. Annals of Dyslexia, 40, 3–38.
Wakefield, J. (1992). The concept of mental disorder: On the boundary between biological facts and social values. American Psychologist, 47(3), 373–388.
West, T. (1991). In the mind’s eye: Visual thinkers; gifted people with learning difficulties; computer images; and the ironies of creativity. Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books.

Copyright r 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

DYSLEXIA 15: 363–366 (2009)
DOI: 10.1002/dys

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