Definition
Developmental plasticity is the process by which later life traits are shaped by the early life environment. Specifically, it refers to the process according to which a single genotype (i.e., genetic makeup of an organism) leads to distinct and lasting phenotypes (i.e., outward biological and psychological manifestations) under alterations of environmental interactions.
Introduction
Developmental plasticity is a concept grounded in the broad field of biology. Its roots trace to the classic “nature versus nurture” debate introduced in the nineteenth century in scientific discourse, that is, the question of the origins of individual differences as a result of environmental versus genetic influences. Developmental plasticity emphasizes the individual’s adaptation to external changes as a result of the combined effect of both genetic and environmental...
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References
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Gritti, E.S., Barbot, B. (2019). Developmental Plasticity. In: Zeigler-Hill, V., Shackelford, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1622-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1622-1
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