1. Dynamic systems theory of development
M.C. Escher, Drawing hands (lithography, 1948)
Dynamic systems theory of development
Paul van Geert

2. System and dynamic system
Developmental, learning and educational processes are examples of dynamic systems
Researcher determines the definition of the system (empirical test of adequacy)
A system
Is a collection of components
That are related to each other
A dynamic system
Is a collection of variable/changeable components
That affect/influence each other
dynamic systems theory of development

3. dynamic systems theory of development
Systems thinking
The observed effects are the results of processes that occur within and between persons.
These processes can be described and understood by means of dynamic systems theory/modeling.
Examples of developmental statements
Preschool intervention has a significant positive effect on intelligence later in life
Reading books to children by parents has a positive effect on the children’s linguistic abilities
Monozygotic twins show a significant positive correlation on the temperamental aspect “emotionality”
Training the sensitivity of the mother has a significant effect on the secure attachment of their infants
Popular children show more positive emotions during an interaction than average of rejected ones
The heritability of intelligence is 0.8
Core knowledge of concepts such as “object” and “cause” is innate
DST is an approach, a general look on processes
DST emphasizes central/characteristic features of processes
Practice (e.g. educational practice) behaves like a dynamic system
Scientific statements about education/development often follow a linear logic
A influences B (independent and dependent variables)
The temporal aspect has been removed
Generalization occurs over groups
In all children?
Why does it occur in some and not in others?
Why do some children show the reverse effect
Which mechanism explains the emergence and change of the effect?
If the effect is observable today, will it also be observable tomorrow, next week?
dynamic systems theory of development

4. Dynamic systems thinking
Various types of dynamic systems thinking
Conceive of your variables as forces that affect each other over time
What kind of relations?
Positive (support), negative (competition), precursor, neutral
An example says more than a thousand definitions: A simple process model of reward/punishment
dynamic systems theory of development

5. dynamic systems theory of development
An example
Reduction of unwanted behavior
Examples: aggressiveness, bullying, …
By means of
punishment or aversive stimuli
By means of increasing the likelihood of alternative, wanted behavior
Simulation
Simulation is the natural tool for the study of dynamic processes
Simulation pertains to the variables distinguished in the model, not to the full underlying reality (impossibility)
dynamic systems theory of development

6. Aversiveness of punishment
A dynamic model of the control of unwanted behavior: aggressive behavior in the classroom
Aversiveness of punishment
reduces
increases
Undesirable behavior
punishment
reduces
Determines level of
reduces
Attractiveness of undesirable behavior
Reinforcement of desirable behavior
reduces
simulation
dynamic systems theory of development

7. Why is this a dynamic system?
It shows how variables determine each other over time
It is based on an iterative process
The patterns result from the way the variables interact
The patterns have non-linear properties (a small change in a parameter can result in an entirely different pattern)
dynamic systems theory of development

8. Example: A model of teaching/learning
Teacher has a goal, student has not yet reached the goal
Teacher sets a teaching level that runs ahead of the student’s current level
Teacher adapts the teaching to the level of the student
As the student progresses, the teacher increases the demands to be met by the student
If the demands/teaching level too far from the student’s level, no learning takes place
Students differ in how fast they learn, teachers differ in how fast they adapt to student’s progress
dynamic systems theory of development

9. What kind of theory is DST?
It is a general approach to phenomena, rather than a specific theory
It is an abstract approach to phenomena
You can apply it to learning and development, but also to fishing in the Adriatic Sea (Volterra)
Its major feature is self-organization, the spontaneous increase of structure/order/information in complex systems
A graphical illustration: the Game-of-Life
dynamic systems theory of development

10. The Game of Life: an illustration of self-organization
A structure of cells
Which can be “dead” or “alive”
If it is alive, and has 2 or 3 living neighbors, it survives; otherwise, it dies.
If it is dead, and has exactly 3 living neighbors, it comes alive
simulation
simulation
dynamic systems theory of development

11. Transmission or self-organization?
DST: self-organization and non-linearity
Transmission
Which one applies to education/ development?
dynamic systems theory of development

12. dynamic systems theory of development
Transmission theory
The second law of thermo-dynamics
spontaneous loss of order, information
self-organization does not exist
Order/structure/information must be transmitted
Transmission of energy, information
loss of energy, information
Requires over-determination
Many classical theories are representatives of transmission theory
dynamic systems theory of development

13. Exponents of transmission theory
Classical view of education and teaching/learning processes
Transmission of content from teacher to student
Theories of genetic determination
development specified by genes
Ideas of brain determination
it’s the brain that imposes its structure onto the mind and determines the way we see and act
dynamic systems theory of development

14. dynamic systems theory of development
Self-organization
Runs (apparently) against the second law of thermodynamics: spontaneous loss of order/structure/information/…
Dissipative processes: spontaneous increase of order/structure/information
In highly organized, complex systems
That consume energy/resources
Dynamic interaction creates order: The outcome is the result of the dynamic interactions between all the components involved
dynamic systems theory of development

15. Dynamic systems thinking in developmental psychology
“Bloomington brand” (Thelen and Smith)
Action theory: organism-environment loops in real time
Emphasis on sensori-motor aspects and low-level representation
“Groningen brand”
Growth models of interacting variables
Emphasis on abstract and methodological aspects
dynamic systems theory of development

16. Thelen and Smith’s action approach
“Psychological” processes are recursive loops between organism and environment
Psychological variables (e.g. concepts, intelligence, …) are soft-assemblies
Exist only within and for the duration of a particular action
There are no internal, determinate psychological properties (e.g. object concept research)
Developmental theory: what are the concrete and causal processes that lead a system from A to B?
Nativism is not an explanation
“our ten fingers are an innate property”
dynamic systems theory of development

17. dynamic systems theory of development
Internal properties
Internal properties
Internal properties
action
action
action
Context properties
context properties
context properties
Developmental sequence is a long sequence of organism-environment loops
dynamic systems theory of development

18. dynamic systems theory of development
Thelen and Smith’s classic demonstration: the A-not-B-error in babies
Piaget: an internal representation (“an icon”, an object scheme) drives the behavior
Th & Sm: a causal and distributed process; loop between internal abilities and external affordances
dynamic systems theory of development

19. What can we learn from Thelen and Smith’s action approach?
It is necessary to (also) model development on the time scale of real-time action
Necessary to understand the mutuality between the short-term time scale of action and the long-term time scale of development
Model of situated, embedded or distributed cognition
Part of the mechanism is in the context
dynamic systems theory of development

20. Application: a model of social behavior and its development
Behavior is determined by concerns
Social behavior is determined by the concern for Autonomy and the concern for Involvement
Concerns are realized/satisfied by behavior
Self-directed (autonomy) and other-directed (involvement) behavior
The degree to which concerns are realized is related to emotions
Emotional appraisal
Emotions co-determine the strength of the concerns
Mutuality: your behavior is part of my behavior, your emotions are part of mine
dynamic systems theory of development

21. Realization of concerns Behaviors of self and other
determine
Realization of concerns
Behaviors of self and other
determine
Sets norms to
A dynamic model of social interaction
determine
Strength of concerns
Co-determine
Emotional appraisal
Emotions of self and other
determine
simulation
dynamic systems theory of development

22. theoretisch model: een momentEA R P - B EE
Child 1 D EA P R - B EE
Child 2
dynamic systems theory of development

23. Het model: twee momentenEA R P - B EE E D EA R P - B EE
Moment 2
dynamic systems theory of development

24. dynamic systems theory of development
Invloed van Behaviour D EA R P - B EE
Moment 1 D EA R P - B EE
Moment 2
dynamic systems theory of development

25. Invloed van Emotional ExpressionEA R P - B EE E
Moment 1 D EA R P - B EE
Moment 2
dynamic systems theory of development

26. Model output: positive emotions
dynamic systems theory of development

27. dynamic systems theory of development
Emotional expression
model
data
verschil
Model veel minder cycli dan in empirie
Overeenkomst
Peer minder uitbundig dan het kind zelf. Zowel in model als in empirie
dynamic systems theory of development

28. The dynamics of interacting components
Example: Lexicon and Syntax
Growth of L depends on itself
Growth of L depends on available resources
Available knowledge and skills, Teaching, help, time invested in an activity
Growth of L depends on S, S depends on L
Relationships are supportive, competitive or conditional
dynamic systems theory of development

29. External symbol systems
Linguistic knowledge
concerns
The form of the developmental process is determined by the way the variables interact with each other
Stepwise development (stages)
Temporary regressions
Motor system
Social knowledge
Perceptual system
Physical knowledge
emotions
Pedagogical support
External symbol systems
dynamic systems theory of development

30. External symbol systems
resource system
Motor system
Perceptual system
Linguistic knowledge
Social knowledge
Physical knowledge
Pedagogical support
External symbol systems
concerns
emotions
dynamic systems theory of development

31. Pauline Number of Words
dynamic systems theory of development

32. Pauline Number of Words
dynamic systems theory of development

33. Holographic principle Combinatorial principle
One-word sentences
Holographic principle
supports
Competes with
2&3-word sentences
Combinatorial principle
4&more-word sentences
Syntactic principle
supports
Competes with
dynamic systems theory of development

34. dynamic systems theory of development

35. dynamic systems theory of development

36. dynamic systems theory of development

37. dynamic systems theory of development

38. dynamic systems theory of development

39. dynamic systems theory of development

40. dynamic systems theory of development

41. Example: Fischer’s model of developmental levels in different domains
E.g. two levels: stage of operations and stage of relations
stage of relations supports stage of operations by level
the better your understanding of the relationship between addition and subtraction, the stronger the effect on the growth of the (already established) addition and subtraction skill (operations)
Stage of relations competes with stage of operations by change
the increase in the understanding of the relation consumes resources that are also needed for the operations of addition and subtraction itself and thus temporary exerts a negative effect on the ability to add or subtract
dynamic systems theory of development

42. dynamic systems theory of development
Summary (1 of 2)
DST = a general approach
Emphasizing interaction and transaction over real time
Not a comparison of ages
Mutuality of influences
No distinction between dependent and independent variables
Focus on processes that take place in and between individuals
Not on groups, averages, correlations…
dynamic systems theory of development

43. dynamic systems theory of development
Summary (2 of 2)
Dynamic systems theory requires a fundamental rethinking of developmental explanations, research questions, design and statistical methodology
Simulation = tool for understanding the nature of processes
Measuring psychological properties
Importance of context
Importance of variability
The classical theories (Piaget, Vygotsky, …)
were fundamentally dynamic
But the dynamic aspect has been stripped off in favor of static relationships that hold within groups
dynamic systems theory of development