To Merge or not: The Early Onto‐ and Phylogenetic Origin of Co‐Representation.
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| Title: | To Merge or not: The Early Onto‐ and Phylogenetic Origin of Co‐Representation. |
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| Authors: | Miss, Fabia M. (AUTHOR), Santharuban, Luxshiha (AUTHOR), Willems, Erik P. (AUTHOR), Burkart, Judith M. (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Developmental Science. May2026, Vol. 29 Issue 3, p1-14. 14p. |
| Subjects: | Primates, Gaze, Theory of mind, Cooperativeness, Cognitive ability, Response inhibition, Child development |
| Abstract: | The origin of co‐representation during joint action poses a puzzle: It apparently only emerges around the age of four in humans, suggesting it is cognitively demanding, but has also been demonstrated in several nonhuman primate species whose cognitive skills do not match human four‐year‐olds. We therefore reassessed co‐representation in 2–4‐year‐old human children (n = 38, 11 females) with a directly comparable, nonverbal task previously applied to nonhuman primates. Co‐representation was already present and strongest in the youngest children, not constrained by Theory of Mind and inhibitory control skills, and weaker in children than in nonhuman primates. Together, this suggests co‐representation may be an early default mode of processing joint action. However, species differed in the flexibility to adjust when to merge perspectives by co‐representing, and when not. Children and the cooperatively breeding marmosets were most flexible and relied on coordination smoothers to achieve this (marmosets: mutual gaze; children: mutual gaze and communication). Summary: Co‐representation, that is the merging of perspectives, is present in the joint Simon task in 2‐year‐olds and decreases with ageCo‐representation is weaker in children than in nonhuman primatesCooperation success requires flexibly switching between merging or notChildren and highly cooperative nonhuman primate species rely on mutual gaze as coordination smoothers for switchingCo‐representation is likely an early default mode of processing joint actions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Developmental Science is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: pbh DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection An: 193279667 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: To Merge or not: The Early Onto‐ and Phylogenetic Origin of Co‐Representation. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Miss%2C+Fabia+M%2E%22">Miss, Fabia M.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Santharuban%2C+Luxshiha%22">Santharuban, Luxshiha</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Willems%2C+Erik+P%2E%22">Willems, Erik P.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Burkart%2C+Judith+M%2E%22">Burkart, Judith M.</searchLink> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Developmental+Science%22">Developmental Science</searchLink>. May2026, Vol. 29 Issue 3, p1-14. 14p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Primates%22">Primates</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gaze%22">Gaze</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Theory+of+mind%22">Theory of mind</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cooperativeness%22">Cooperativeness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+ability%22">Cognitive ability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Response+inhibition%22">Response inhibition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+development%22">Child development</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: The origin of co‐representation during joint action poses a puzzle: It apparently only emerges around the age of four in humans, suggesting it is cognitively demanding, but has also been demonstrated in several nonhuman primate species whose cognitive skills do not match human four‐year‐olds. We therefore reassessed co‐representation in 2–4‐year‐old human children (n = 38, 11 females) with a directly comparable, nonverbal task previously applied to nonhuman primates. Co‐representation was already present and strongest in the youngest children, not constrained by Theory of Mind and inhibitory control skills, and weaker in children than in nonhuman primates. Together, this suggests co‐representation may be an early default mode of processing joint action. However, species differed in the flexibility to adjust when to merge perspectives by co‐representing, and when not. Children and the cooperatively breeding marmosets were most flexible and relied on coordination smoothers to achieve this (marmosets: mutual gaze; children: mutual gaze and communication). Summary: Co‐representation, that is the merging of perspectives, is present in the joint Simon task in 2‐year‐olds and decreases with ageCo‐representation is weaker in children than in nonhuman primatesCooperation success requires flexibly switching between merging or notChildren and highly cooperative nonhuman primate species rely on mutual gaze as coordination smoothers for switchingCo‐representation is likely an early default mode of processing joint actions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Developmental Science is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=193279667 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1111/desc.70199 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 14 StartPage: 1 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Primates Type: general – SubjectFull: Gaze Type: general – SubjectFull: Theory of mind Type: general – SubjectFull: Cooperativeness Type: general – SubjectFull: Cognitive ability Type: general – SubjectFull: Response inhibition Type: general – SubjectFull: Child development Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: To Merge or not: The Early Onto‐ and Phylogenetic Origin of Co‐Representation. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Miss, Fabia M. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Santharuban, Luxshiha – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Willems, Erik P. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Burkart, Judith M. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 05 Text: May2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 1363755X Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 29 – Type: issue Value: 3 Titles: – TitleFull: Developmental Science Type: main |
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