The Epigenesis Of Mind: Essays On Biology And Cognition

The Epigenesis --- of Mind--Essays on Biology and Cognition Edited by •Susan Carey •Rochel Gelman The Epigenesis of Mind: Essays on Biology and Cognition The Jean Piaget Symposium Series Available from LEA SIGEL, I. E„ BRODZINSKY, D. M., & GOLINKOFF, R. M. (Eds.) • New Directions in Piagetian Theory and Practice OVERTON, W. F. (Ed.) • The Relationship Between Social and Cognitive Developm ent LIBEN, L. S. (Ed.) • Piaget and the Foundations of Knowledge SCHOLNICK, E. K. (Ed.) • New Trends in C onceptual Representation: Challenges to Piaget's Theory? NEIMARK, E. D., De LISI, R., & NEWMAN, J. L. (Eds.) • Moderators of C om petence BEARSON, D. J., & ZIMILES, H. (Eds.) • Thought and Emotion: Developm ental Perspectives LIBEN, L. S. (Ed.) • Developm ent and Learning: Conflict or Congruence? FORMAN, G., & PUFALL, P. B. (Eds.) • Constructivism in the Com puter Age OVERTON, W. F. (Ed.) • Reasoning, Necessity, and Logic: Developmental Perspectives KEATING, D. P„ & ROSEN, H. (Eds.) • Constructivist Perspectives on Developmental Psychopathology and Atypical Dovoiopm ent OARI Y, s.,«i )l I MAN. R. • the I plgonosls of Mind: I ssays on Blok >uy and Cognition The Epigenesis of Mind: Essays on Biology and Cognition Edited by Susan Carey The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Rochel Gelman University of California, Los Angeles LAWRENCE ERLBAUM ASSOCIATES, PUBLISHERS Hillsdale, New Jersey Hove and London Copyright © 1991 by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of the book may be reproduced in any form, by photostat, microform, retrieval system, or any other means, without the prior written permission o f the publisher. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Publishers 365 Broadway Hillsdale, New Jersey 07642 N Library o f Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data The Epigenesis of mind : essays on biology and cognition / edited by Susan Carey and Rochel Gelman. p. cm. — (The Jean Piaget Symposium series) Chiefly papers presented at the symposium. Biology and knowledge: structural constraints on development, held in 1988, sponsored by the Jean Piaget Society. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8058-0438-2 1. Cognition—Congresses. 2. Learning, Psychology of—Congresses. 3. Cognition— Physiological aspects— Congresses. 4. Learning, Psychology of—Physiological aspects— Congresses. 5. Knowledge, Theory of—Congresses. 6. Psychobiology— Congresses. I. Carey, Susan. II. Gelman, Rochel. III. Jean Piaget Society. IV. Series. BF311.E5K5 1991 153- dc20 90-49812 CIP Printed in the United Stales of America 10 9 K 7 6 5 4 For Randy and Ned Contents Preface I BIO L O G ICA L CONTRIBUTIONS TO CO GN ITION 1 Lessons From Animal Learning for the Study of Cognitive Development C.R. Gallistel, Ann L. Brown, Susan Carey, Rochel Gelman, and Frank C. Keil 2 3 4 ix 3 The Instinct to Learn Peter Marler 37 Neuropsychological Insights into the Meaning o f Object Concept Development Adele Diamond 67 Contrasting Concepts of the Critical Period for Language Elissa L. Newport 111 II INNATE KNOW LEDGE AND BEYOND 5 6 Physical Knowledge in Infancy: Reflections on Piaget’ s Theory Elizabeth S. Spelke 133 Beyond Modularity: Innate Constraints and Developmental Change Annette Karmiloff-Smith 171 vii viii 7 8 9 10 CONTENTS Constraining Nativist Inferences about Cognitive Capacities Kurt W. Fischer and Thomas Bidell 199 The Emergence o f Theoretical Beliefs as Constraints on Concepts Frank C. Keil 237 Knowledge Acquisition: Enrich