Autism and Group Survival

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I've always wanted to do an experiment.

There would be three types of groups.

The all NT groups, all autistic groups, and the groups with four NT and one autistic. All would be groups of five. Each group would be placed in an area of land, and asked to rely on their own group for survival as much as possible.

The goal is to find the relevance of neurodiversity to group survival.

I think that the groups with four NT and one autistic person is likely to do best. Other than the development of self reliant survival, the cultural development of all groups would be recorded.

What do you think about this, and what type of group do you think would do best?

For the sake of objectivity, I would also include

* a group of five autistics
* a group of four autistics and one NT

Studies have proved that a disabled pupil in a classroom raises the global level of the classroom.

I did include the five autistic groups, and you are likely right that I should do one with four autistics and an NT. thanks.

How about all possible combinations of 5 people:

1. 5 NT-s
2. 4 NT-s 1 autistic
3. 3 NT-s 2 autistic
4. 2 NT-s 3 autistic
5. 1 NT 4 autistics
6. 5 autistics

Also try different severities of autism as well, its a spectrum.

I think in most groups of four neurotypicals and one autistic, the former would quickly get fed up with the latter and leave them to be eaten by predators. Then, on average, groups of five neurotypicals would win, if only due to numerical superiority.

Well, if we are doing survival experiment, everyone knows they aren't going to be eaten by predators but simply lose the game. This point is important because I don't think any NT would want me to die, but they are just fine ostracizing me. So the four NT-s would probably be telling one autistic "who cares about the game just be yourself". Thats the line NT-s are using with me and its super-frustrating.

I don’t see why they wouldn’t say the same in the ancestral environment. “Who cares about going hunting with us? Just be yourself!”. Then they leave and a pack of wolves comes and feasts on a tasty you being a tasty yourself.

Well, what if you respond to them by saying that your life is in danger? Will they say "who cares if you die, because there is an afterlife"?

What about those that aren't NT but don't have an ASD? Like Down's or ADHD or Alzheimer's?

I think the group with the widest range of skills would do best, regardless of being NT or ASD. If everyone was really good at lighting fires but really bad at collecting firewood they would all freeze to death. Too many variables in my view.

That would be for a different study. It would be hard to add in other forms of neurodivergence without a lot of resources.

Seems a plausible answer. They could also call you a crybaby, tell you to stop overreäcting or to man up, or that if you keep whining, your life will indeed be in danger, because they’ll beat you to a pulp. There’s always an elegant way not to help you.