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The general case seems to be "constant stress" not poverty itself.

by ythn 8y ago

pjc50 8y ago
> “we examined the cognitive function of farmers over the planting cycle. We found that the same farmer shows diminished cognitive performance before harvest, when poor, as compared with after harvest, when rich.” > And here’s the kicker: “This cannot be explained by differences in time available, nutrition, or work effort. Nor can it be explained with stress.”
- ythn 8y ago
  How can they make that claim? Did they have a set of rich farmers under constant stress that did not have diminished cognitive performance? How does one scientifically measure stress?
  - ItsMe000001 8y ago
    > How can they make that claim? How about your own claim? You can start with yourself, which should be much easier since if you want to ask the person something you just have to do it in your head.
  - ItsMe000001 8y ago
    I repeat: How about your own claim? You can start with yourself, which should be much easier since if you want to ask the person something you just have to do it in your head. If you were even an iota as critical about your own content-free mutterings you could make the world a better place. Seriously.
- patrickg_zill 8y ago
  I do wonder though if seasons might affect cognition. How much time difference was there between "before harvest" and "after harvest"? Lots of farmers get a little depressed over the winter months.
noaccount1256 8y ago
You’re misconstruing the basis of the study. Cause is not interchangeable with parameter. The focus and context of the study was poverty, not stress. One done on stress might provide some relative material, and be useful, but your assumption is a bit irresponsible.
- ythn 8y ago
  Poverty is an abstract concept. It's a number in a bank's database. That's like a study during the depression claiming that the stock market drives down intelligence. It's not very meaningful. What's the real cause of cognitive decline? Stress? Less sleep? I would bet one of those two.
  - dlandis 8y ago
    > “We suggest that this is because poverty-related concerns consume mental resources, leaving less for other tasks.” So I think they are saying "mental preoccupation" more than "stress" per se is the cause of the decline. At a certain point, however, mental preoccupation is the same as stress so it may be a distinction without a difference.

The general case seems to be "constant stress" not poverty itself.

by ythn 8y ago

The general case seems to be "constant stress" not poverty itself.

> “we examined the cognitive function of farmers over the planting cycle. We found that the same farmer shows diminished cognitive performance before harvest, when poor, as compared with after harvest, when rich.” > And here’s the kicker: “This cannot be explained by differences in time available, nutrition, or work effort. Nor can it be explained with stress.”

ythn 8y ago
How can they make that claim? Did they have a set of rich farmers under constant stress that did not have diminished cognitive performance? How does one scientifically measure stress?
- ItsMe000001 8y ago
  > How can they make that claim? How about your own claim? You can start with yourself, which should be much easier since if you want to ask the person something you just have to do it in your head.
- ItsMe000001 8y ago
  I repeat: How about your own claim? You can start with yourself, which should be much easier since if you want to ask the person something you just have to do it in your head. If you were even an iota as critical about your own content-free mutterings you could make the world a better place. Seriously.
patrickg_zill 8y ago
I do wonder though if seasons might affect cognition. How much time difference was there between "before harvest" and "after harvest"? Lots of farmers get a little depressed over the winter months.

noaccount1256 8y ago

You’re misconstruing the basis of the study. Cause is not interchangeable with parameter. The focus and context of the study was poverty, not stress. One done on stress might provide some relative material, and be useful, but your assumption is a bit irresponsible.

ythn 8y ago
Poverty is an abstract concept. It's a number in a bank's database. That's like a study during the depression claiming that the stock market drives down intelligence. It's not very meaningful. What's the real cause of cognitive decline? Stress? Less sleep? I would bet one of those two.
- dlandis 8y ago
  > “We suggest that this is because poverty-related concerns consume mental resources, leaving less for other tasks.” So I think they are saying "mental preoccupation" more than "stress" per se is the cause of the decline. At a certain point, however, mental preoccupation is the same as stress so it may be a distinction without a difference.