PSYC 3P60 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Evolutionary Developmental Psychology, Behavioural Genetics

• School: Brock University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 3P60
• Professor: Dr.Nishimara

Document Summary

Developmental cognitive neuroscience: perspective that takes data from molecular bio, cell bio, ai, etc to create a picture of how the mind/brain develops. Evolution: process of change in gene frequencies in populations over many generations that in time produces new species. Natural selection: idea that in a population, more individuals are produced than can survive and variations made some more fit to survive to reproduce; ns is primary mechanism for evolution. Evolutionary developmental psychology: application of the principles of modern evolutionary biology to explain human development. Biologically primary abilities: cognitive abilities that were selected over the course of evolution such as language; are acquired universally + kids have high motivation to perform them. Biologically secondary abilities: skills that build on these primary abilities but are principally cultural inventions such as reading; are culturally determined and tedious. Developmental systems approach: views development as occurring within a system of interacting levels and is centered around the concept of epigenesis.