Developmental Psychology
David R. Cross, Ph.D.
Developmental Psychology (PSYC 40433) is an advanced exploration of the fundamental principles of human development. As can be seen from the textbooks selected for the course, the course emphasizes the perspective of Susan Oyama, who is one of the foremost psychologists and philosophers on issues of development. Oyama is an extraordinarily clear thinker, and her ideas will guide us as we explore various systems perspectives on development (ontogeny) and evolution (phylogeny). The textbooks for the course are:
- Oyama, S., Griffiths, P. E., & Gray, R. D. (Eds.). (2001). Cycles of Contingency: Developmental Systems and Evolution. The MIT Press. [Required] [Book Review]
- Oyama, S. (2000). The Ontogeny of Information: Developmental Systems and Evolution (2nd ed.). Duke University Press. [Recommended] [Book Review]
- Oyama, S. (2000). Evolution's Eye: A Systems View of the Biology-Culture Divide. Duke University Press. [Recommended] [Book Review]
There will be three exams, each worth 30 points, a final paper (~3,000 words, 40 points), and a Wikipedia activity (20+ points). The paper is due at the end of the semester, and should apply the systems perspective to some topic that interests the student (e.g., autism, bullying, trauma, parenting). There are 150 points possible, with 135 points (90%) required for an A, 120 points (80%) for a B, 105 points (70%) for a C, and so on. The course is open to advanced undergraduates, with registration by permission only (contact us early, for it fills up fast!). More information—and materials—are available on TCU's eCollege webpage (enrolled students will be able to access eCollege on the first day of classes). The course is organized into three five-week parts, each with three sections, as follows:
Part I: Foundations
In Part I of the course we the lay the foundation for a serious study of human development. In the first section, Developmental Systems, we are introduced to Developmental Systems Theory (DST), which is a modern perspective on development (and evolution) that frames the rest of what we do in the course. In the second section, Ontogeny and Phylogeny, we are introduced to the work of Daniel Lehrman, which frames an analysis of the "nature-nurture" debate in a manner consistent with the DST perspective. In the third section, Systems of Inheritance, we are introduced to the work of Richard Lewontin, which reframes notions about "genetic inheritance," again in a manner that is consistent with the DST persepctive. The required readings for each section are listed below. In addition, Susan Oyama's Ontogeny of Information is relevant to the ideas covered in Part I of the course—any time spent reading this book would be well rewarded in terms of an enhanced understanding of the material.
Developmental Systems
- Oyama, S., Griffiths, P. E., & Gray, R. D. (2001). Introduction: What is developmental systems theory? Cycles of Contingency, Chapter 1.
- Oyama, S. (2001). Terms in tension: What do you do when all the the good words are taken? Cycles of Contingency, Chapter 15.
- Griffiths, P. E., & Gray, R. D. (2001). Darwinism and developmental systems. Cycles of Contingency, Chapter 16.
- Godfrey-Smith, P. (2001). On the status and explanatory structure of developmental systems theory. Cycles of Contingency, Chapter 20.
- Griffiths, P. E., & Gray, R. D. (2005). Discussion: Three ways to misunderstand developmental systems theory. Biology and Philosophy, 20, 417–425.
Nature and Nurture
- Johnston, T. D. (2001). Toward a systems view of development: An appraisal of Lehrman's critique of Lorenz. Cycles of Contingency, Chapter 2.
- Johnston, T. D. (2010). Developmental systems theory. In M. S. Blumberg, J. H. Freeman, and S. R. Robinson (Eds.), Oxford Handbook of Developmental Behavioral Neuroscience (pp. 13–29). Oxford University Press.
- Lehrman, D. S. (2001). A critique of Lorenz's theory of instinctive behavior. Cycles of Contingency, Chapter 3.
- Lehrman, D. S. (1970). Semantic and conceptual issues in the nature-nurture problem. In L. R. Aronson, E. Tobach, D. S. Lehrman, and J. S. Rosenblatt (Eds.), Development and Evolution of Behavior: Essays in Memory of T. C. Schneirla (pp. 17–51). W. H. Freeman.
- Moss, L. (2001). Deconstructing the gene and reconstructing molecular developmental systems. Cycles of Contingency, Chapter 8.
- Griffiths, P. E. (2009). The distinction between innate and acquired characteristics. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. [Recommended]
Systems of Inheritance
- Lewontin, R. C. (2001). Gene, organism, and environment: A new introduction. Cycles of Contingency, Chapter 5.
- Lewontin, R. C. (2001). Gene, organism, and environment. Cycles of Contingency, Chapter 6.
- Jablonka, E. (2001). The systems of inheritance. Cycles of Contingency, Chapter 9.
- Laland, K. N., Odling-Smee, J., & Feldman, M. W. (2000). Niche construction, biological evolution, and cultural change. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 23(1), 131–175.
- Laland, K. N., Odling-Smee, J., & Feldman, M. W. (2001). Niche construction, ecological inheritance, and cycles of contingency in evolution. Cycles of Contingency, Chapter 10.
Part II: Extensions
In Part II of the course we extend the foundational theoretical framework—Developmental Systems Theory (DST)—to include some other approaches to the complexities of development; while each of these approaches is consistent with the DST perspective, each also extends DST in interesting and important ways. In the first section, Epigenetic Landscapes, we are introduced to the work of Conrad Waddington, and its contemporary elaborations by Eva Neumann-Held, Michael Meaney, and others. In the second section, Probabilistic Epigenesis, we are introduced to the work of Gilbert Gottlieb, his Probabilistic Epigenesis model, and some related work by Stephen Suomi and his colleagues. In the third section, Dynamic Systems, we are introduced to the work of Esther Thelen, and other contributors to Dynamic Systems Theory. The required readings for each section are listed below.
Epigenetic Landscapes
- Waddington, C. H. (1957). The strategy of the genes (Chapters 1 & 2). London: George Allen & Unwin.
- Neumann-Held, E. M. (2001). Let's talk about genes: The process molecular gene concept and its context. Cycles of Contingency, Chapter 7.
- Zhang, T.-Y., & Meaney, M. J. (2010). Epigenetics and the environmental regulation of the genome and its function. Annual Review of Psychology, 61, 439–466.
- Meaney, M. J. (2010). Epigenetics and the biological definition of gene x environment interactions. Child Development, 81(1), 41–79.
- Maienschein, J. (2005). Epigenesis and preformationism. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. [Recommended]
Probabilistic Epigenesis
Dynamic Systems
Part III: Applications
Transitions and Touchpoints
Patterns of Attachment
Patterns of Attunement
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