Beyond Different Levels: Embodiment and the Developmental System
The value of studying a phenomenon at multiple levels of analysis is often emphasized in psychology, but a lack of clarity about the nature of levels and the relations among them remains an impediment to progress. The suggestion here is that an approach combining the tenets of embodiment with the co...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2014-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00929/full |
| _version_ | 1818535884226560000 |
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| author | Peter J Marshall |
| author_facet | Peter J Marshall |
| author_sort | Peter J Marshall |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The value of studying a phenomenon at multiple levels of analysis is often emphasized in psychology, but a lack of clarity about the nature of levels and the relations among them remains an impediment to progress. The suggestion here is that an approach combining the tenets of embodiment with the construct of the developmental system provides a way forward. Embodiment opposes the splitting off and elevation of a level of mechanisms that has characterized much of cognitive science. In contrast, a constructivist embodied approach places a level of mechanisms in the context of a formal or systems level of analysis, with developmental process framing the interpenetrating relations between levels. Such an approach stems from a relational worldview that opposes conceptual splits and posits that levels of structure and process comprise an indissociable complementarity. The combination of embodiment and developmental systems within a relational worldview is discussed and elaborated through outlining the integrative approach of relational developmental systems, which has been proposed by its proponents as a scientific paradigm within which formulations of the interrelations among brain, body, and mind can be advanced. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T18:30:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-98707f1802bb4df9b0371f014ac87839 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T18:30:51Z |
| publishDate | 2014-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-98707f1802bb4df9b0371f014ac878392022-12-22T00:54:56ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782014-08-01510.3389/fpsyg.2014.00929106075Beyond Different Levels: Embodiment and the Developmental SystemPeter J Marshall0Temple UniversityThe value of studying a phenomenon at multiple levels of analysis is often emphasized in psychology, but a lack of clarity about the nature of levels and the relations among them remains an impediment to progress. The suggestion here is that an approach combining the tenets of embodiment with the construct of the developmental system provides a way forward. Embodiment opposes the splitting off and elevation of a level of mechanisms that has characterized much of cognitive science. In contrast, a constructivist embodied approach places a level of mechanisms in the context of a formal or systems level of analysis, with developmental process framing the interpenetrating relations between levels. Such an approach stems from a relational worldview that opposes conceptual splits and posits that levels of structure and process comprise an indissociable complementarity. The combination of embodiment and developmental systems within a relational worldview is discussed and elaborated through outlining the integrative approach of relational developmental systems, which has been proposed by its proponents as a scientific paradigm within which formulations of the interrelations among brain, body, and mind can be advanced.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00929/fullMultilevel AnalysisPhilosophydevelopmental psychologyLevels of explanationdevelopmental systems |
| spellingShingle | Peter J Marshall Beyond Different Levels: Embodiment and the Developmental System Frontiers in Psychology Multilevel Analysis Philosophy developmental psychology Levels of explanation developmental systems |
| title | Beyond Different Levels: Embodiment and the Developmental System |
| title_full | Beyond Different Levels: Embodiment and the Developmental System |
| title_fullStr | Beyond Different Levels: Embodiment and the Developmental System |
| title_full_unstemmed | Beyond Different Levels: Embodiment and the Developmental System |
| title_short | Beyond Different Levels: Embodiment and the Developmental System |
| title_sort | beyond different levels embodiment and the developmental system |
| topic | Multilevel Analysis Philosophy developmental psychology Levels of explanation developmental systems |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00929/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT peterjmarshall beyonddifferentlevelsembodimentandthedevelopmentalsystem |