Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 5, 2026

Author Spotlight: A Novel Setup to Conduct Naturalistic Laboratory Experiments with Real Human Actors in Scenarios
Published on: August 4, 2023
Evo Devo and cognitive science
Annemie Ploeger1, Frietson Galis2
1Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Evo Devo (evolutionary developmental) biology forges a synthesis of evolutionary and developmental processes. Evo Devo is the result of collaborative work of evolutionary and developmental biologists after the discovery of regulatory genes that human beings share with many other animals, including fruit flies, frogs, and rats. Compared to traditional evolutionary biologists, Evo Devo biologists focus on processes underlying the generation of evolutionary novelties, rather than on how natural selection changes gene frequencies in populations and how organisms are adapted to their environment. Evo Devo biologists try to answer questions such as: How do novel structures arise? Which mechanisms facilitate or constrain evolutionary change? In this article we argue that insights from Evo Devo research can contribute to the understanding of the evolution and development of cognition, and of the origin of neurocognitive disorders. We discuss three major Evo Devo topics: modularity, evolvability, and developmental constraints. We argue that each of these topics are relevant for research in cognitive science, and we argue that interdisciplinary research is necessary in order to unravel the evolutionary and developmental mechanisms of cognitive traits and disorders. WIREs Cogni Sci 2011 2 429-440 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.137 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Related Concept Videos
Cognitivism
Previously dominated by behaviorism, which prioritized observable behaviors and largely ignored mental processes, psychology transformed in the 1950s. Cognitive psychologists argue that understanding how we think and process...
Evolutionary Psychology
Cognition and Behavior
Psychology as a Science
The scientific method in psychology involves six critical steps: making observations, formulating hypotheses, conducting tests, analyzing...
Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
This field emerged in the mid-20th century, following a period dominated by behaviorism, which...
Language and Cognition

