Evolution Quote by Gabor Maté
““Environment does not cause ADD any more than genes cause ADD. What happens is that if certain genetic material meets a certain environment, ADD may result. Without that genetic material, no ADD. Without that environment, no ADD. The formative environment is the family of origin.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Scattered Minds, 1999
ADD results from a specific gene‑environment interaction, not solely genetics or upbringing.
In simple terms: Genes and environment together cause ADD.
Key Takeaway
Consider both biology and context in understanding behavior.
Themes
health
genetics
environment
Mood
analytical
concerned
Type
clinical
educational
When to use this quote
- parenting
- education
- clinical assessment
- policy making
Key Concepts
gene‑environment interaction
developmental psychology
neurodiversity
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we address both factors in treatment?
- What role does family play in neurodevelopment?
A Different Perspective
Genetic predisposition may be overlooked if focusing only on environment.
![“Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this [step by step, from humans to apes to monkeys to lemurs] - leading us insensibly from the crown and summit of the animal creation down to creatures, from which there is but a step, as it seems, to the…” quote by Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f0b/thomas-huxley-1183_animal_perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us_3051.jpg)
