Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Creating Objects and Object Categories for Studying Perception and Perceptual Learning
Published on: November 2, 2012
Investigating Development in Human Evolution: Specificities, Challenges, and Opportunities
Mathilde Lequin1, Thomas Colard1,2, Antony Colombo3,4
1Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, MCC, PACEA, UMR 5199, Pessac, France.
Abstract:
Unlike developmental biologists, paleoanthropologists primarily investigate development using skeletal remains, specifically fossilized and already-formed bones and teeth. Focusing on peri- and/or postnatal growth, they reconstruct development from fragmented "snapshots" of individual trajectories at various ontogenetic stages. These constraints prompt a discussion of what defines development versus growth, and its boundaries in studies of hominin evolution. We explore how paleoanthropologists address the limitations of the fossil record by using diverse methodological and theoretical frameworks to identify developmental markers despite missing data. Finally, we discuss the potential of the "Extended Evolutionary Synthesis," which calls for a greater focus on developmental processes in interpreting phenotypic variation in the fossil record.
Related Concept Videos
Biodiversity and Human Values
The Evidence for Evolution
Evolutionary Psychology
Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective
Evolutionary psychology provides one explanation for these findings, suggesting...
Introduction to Developmental Psychology
Developmental Milestones
A key concept in developmental psychology is...
Three Developmental Domains
Physical Development
Physical processes, also known as maturation, encompass the biological changes that occur across an individual's life. These changes begin with genetic inheritance and continue through various stages, including growth in height and...

