Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is characterized by a paradoxical cognitive profile that includes both attentional inconsistency and the capacity for intense, sustained focus. This paper introduces a computational model that reframes this paradox not as a deficit, but as a coherent cognitive strategy. The model proceeds from the axiom that conscious thought is a serial process, positing that a constrained working memory (WM) necessitates a Depth-First Search (DFS)-like strategy for navigating a conceptual space. This architecture is modulated by an activation threshold that produces a trade-off between two distinct cognitive styles: a "Methodical" agent, which is reliable but slower, and an "Exploratory" agent, which is faster but less reliable. We test these two specialists across environments with varying levels of entropy, revealing a powerful Agent x Environment interaction. The Methodical agent excels as a high-entropy specialist, adapted for noisy environments, while the Exploratory agent excels as a low-entropy specialist, adapted for structured environments. This "goodness-of-fit" model provides a quantitative foundation for the Mismatch Hypothesis, suggesting that these cognitive styles are not universally advantageous or disadvantageous, but reflect coherent ecological specializations.
Jeremy Meredith (Mon,) studied this question.
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