An alternative to domain-general or domain-specific frameworks for theorizing about human evolution and ontogenesis

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Evolutionary Biology

Background:

• Traditional frameworks for human evolution and ontogenesis are either domain-general or domain-specific.
• Emerging research highlights the complex interplay between gene-environment interactions and gene expression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a domain-relevant approach as a more appropriate framework for understanding human development.
• To challenge the notion of innate, domain-specific modules in early development.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical analysis integrating findings on gene-environment interaction and gene expression.
• Hypothesizing the developmental trajectory of neural specialization.

Main Results:

• The infant brain possesses biases relevant to, but not initially specific to, various inputs.
• Functional specialization arises progressively through neuronal competition during development.
• Category-specific deficits in adults do not necessarily reflect early-developing, domain-specific modules.

Conclusions:

• A domain-relevant framework, emphasizing emergent specialization, is superior to domain-general or domain-specific models.
• Neural specificity is an emergent property of a self-structuring system interacting with its environment over time.