title: Bridging developmental systems theory and evolutionary psychology using dynamic optimization.
abstract: Interactions between evolutionary psychologists and developmental systems theorists have been largely antagonistic. This is unfortunate because potential synergies between the two approaches remain unexplored. This article presents a method that may help to bridge the divide, and that has proven fruitful in biology: dynamic optimization. Dynamic optimization integrates developmental systems theorists' focus on dynamics and contingency with the 'design stance' of evolutionary psychology. It provides a theoretical framework as well as a set of tools for exploring the properties of developmental systems that natural selection might favor, given particular evolutionary ecologies. We also discuss limitations of the approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Psychology, Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands. wfrankenhuis@gmail.com
authors.forename: Willem E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Frankenhuis
authors.forename: Karthik
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Panchanathan
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Clark Barrett
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011584:Psychology / Q000379:methods; D012641:Selection, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*; D013598:Systems Theory