Evolutionary Psychology, Meet Developmental Neurobiology:Against Promiscuous Modularity

Authors: Buller D.J.¹; Hardcastle V.²

Source: Brain and Mind, Volume 1, Number 3, 2000 , pp. 307-325(19)

Publisher: Springer

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Abstract:

Evolutionary psychologists claim that the mind contains ``hundreds or thousands'' of ``genetically specified'' modules, which are evolutionary adaptations for their cognitive functions. We argue that, while the adult human mind/brain typically contains a degree of modularization, its ``modules'' are neither genetically specified nor evolutionary adaptations. Rather, they result from the brain's developmental plasticity, which allows environmental task demands a large role in shaping the brain's information-processing structures. The brain's developmental plasticity is our fundamental psychological adaptation, and the ``modules'' that result from it are adaptive responses to local conditions, not past evolutionary environments. If different individuals share common environments, however, they may develop similar ``modules,'' and this process can mimic the development of genetically specified modules in the evolutionary psychologist's sense.

Keywords: adaptation; brain development; domain specificity; evolutionary psychology; modularity; plasticity

Language: English

Document Type: Regular paper

Affiliations: 1: Department of Philosophy, Northern Illinois University 2: Science and Technology Studies Program / Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, Department of Philosophy, Virginia Polytechnic and State University

Publication date: 2000-01-01