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Studying development in the 21st Century

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 June 2008

Michael S. C. Thomas ,
Gert Westermann ,
Denis Mareschal ,
Mark H. Johnson ,
Sylvain Sirois  and
Michael Spratling
Michael S. C. Thomas
Affiliation:
Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, School of Psychology, Birkbeck, University of London, London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom
Gert Westermann
Affiliation:
Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, School of Psychology, Birkbeck, University of London, London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom Department of Psychology, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, United Kingdom
Denis Mareschal
Affiliation:
Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, School of Psychology, Birkbeck, University of London, London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom
Mark H. Johnson
Affiliation:
Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, School of Psychology, Birkbeck, University of London, London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom
Sylvain Sirois
Affiliation:
School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
Michael Spratling
Affiliation:
Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, School of Psychology, Birkbeck, University of London, London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom Division of Engineering, King's College London, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, United Kingdom. m.thomas@bbk.ac.ukhttp://www.psyc.bbk.ac.uk/research/DNL/gwestermann@brookes.ac.ukhttp://www.cbcd.bbk.ac.uk/people/scientificstaff/gert/d.mareschal@bbk.ac.ukhttp://www.bbk.ac.uk/psyc/staff/academic/dmareschalmark.johnson@bbk.ac.ukhttp://www.bbk.ac.uk/psyc/staff/academic/mjohnsonSylvain.Sirois@manchester.ac.ukhttp://www.psych-sci.manchester.ac.uk/staff/SylvainSiroismichael.spratling@kcl.ac.ukhttp://www.kcl.ac.uk/schools/pse/diveng/research/cmms/ms/
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Abstract

In this response, we consider four main issues arising from the commentaries to the target article. These include further details of the theory of interactive specialization, the relationship between neuroconstructivism and selectionism, the implications of neuroconstructivism for the notion of representation, and the role of genetics in theories of development. We conclude by stressing the importance of multidisciplinary approaches in the future study of cognitive development and by identifying the directions in which neuroconstructivism can expand in the Twenty-first Century.

Type
Authors' Response
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 31 , Issue 3 , June 2008 , pp. 345 - 356
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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