Question

Define the evolutionary-developmental approach to the study of psychology. What is the chief problem with the so-called evo-devo approach?

Answer 1

Evolutionary-developmental approach to Psychology attempts at integrating the concepts of evolutionary and developmental psychology in order to come to posit some important ideas about the development of a child through the time span. This approach can be defined as an approach to study certain environmental and innate or genetic mechanisms which has attempted to discuss the development of various cognitive, moral and personality attributes of individuals right from infancy to adulthood and old-age. This approach opines that genetics and environment has a two-sided relationship and influences development together. This approach also opines that the skills and characteristics which gets developed from infancy to adulthood and later on are evolutionary driven and are basically developed due to the evolutionary mechanism of survival.

Every approach suffers from certain criticisms and this evo-devo approach is no exception. This approach has been criticised as having lesser or no scientific value as most of it's opinions are based on predictions which cannot be confirmed. There are also criticisms against the concept that natural selection is favourable to some children and not favourable to some other. One on the main problem with this approach is it's lack of feasibility in comparison to other approaches.