Specializing in tasks is allowed by larger societies. In early parts of history hunter/gatherers or pioneers or other explorers had to do a large variety of tasks for themselves. Specialization in skill set was seen in early hunter/gatherer society with division of childcare and gathering primarily performed by women and hunting on more distant trips performed primarily by men. Both tasks were essential for providing a balanced diet with adequate protein, fats, calories and trace nutrients. Gathering of seeds and plants provided more calories and consistent supplies of food while hunting provided additional protein and fats on a less consistent basis.
Different skill sets may have been reinforced by this division of labor.Women may have increased patience for routine tasks that require attention to detail and men may have increased abilities for working within a team that requires rapid decisions to pursue a prey or run from or fight a larger predator. Differences are varied on an individual basis, tendencies of a group as a whole do not mean individuals are consistently the same. Having varied individuals on a team can bring a wider range of experience into brainstorming and prioritizing which ideas to explore further.
Specializing can allow individuals to focus on fewer areas of study expanding on their strengths and others in the team can provide the skills that may be weaknesses for other members of the team. Over focusing, over specialization by an individual or team may inhibit creativity. Variety within a team or within the variety of information that individuals learn may encourage creatively reaching new insights.
Albert Einstein work in physics included information based in the new discoveries of electric lights which was his family's area of business and his first significant job was in a Patent office at a time when railroad and synchronization of clocks for accurate time schedules for the train industry were new discoveries. Arthur Koestler was also a scientist known for innovation and also known as a creative writer of fiction. Ideas generally grow from a collection of other ideas.
For more information:
Brent Kious, Hunter-gatherer Nutrition and Its Implications for Modern Societies, Nutrition Noteworthy 5(1) 2002, http://escholarship.org/uc/item/4wc9g8g4 (11.7)
11: What is Gender Discrimination?: 11.3: Sex-based Discrimination may also be seen in differences in pay & leadership roles., effectivecare.info.
Understanding Einstein: The Special Theory of Relativity, Coursera/Stanford, coursera.org.
Astride the Two Cultures: Arthur Koestler at 70, KirkusReviews.com.
How Green Roofs Can Protect City Streets from Flooding, Aug. 21, 2017, theconversation.com.
William Moss, Reducing Urban Flooding, The National Gardening Association, Garden.org.
/Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes
within the guidelines of fair use./
Comments