Infants’ Characteristics and Skills: Dissolving the Nature/Nurture Dichotomy

According to an emergent group of researchers, systemic, relational and evolutionary thought is needed to understand the development of organisms’ characteristics and competences. In this paper, we fi rst introduce the prevalent view on the biological basis of behavior, based on the New Synthesis of Modern Biology. Next, we present the critical view of those who defend Extended Evolutionary Synthesis. The existing debate between the diff erent perspectives is illustrated by studies on infants’ sensorial capacities, attachment, and neonatal imitation. Possible interpretations, based on the theoretical approaches presented, lead to a refl ection on the innate/acquired dichotomy: from the prevailing view, this dichotomy is overcome because the interaction between the innate and the acquired is being considered to explain the characteristics of living beings. A further refl ection on the developmental processes involved in the emergence of behavior, on the concepts of what is learning and what is innate leads to the dissolution of this dichotomy.