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Relationships do not depend on prior knowledge, instead knowledge develops within relationships

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 May 2026

Emre Aydin  and
Jeremy Carpendale Open the ORCID record for Jeremy Carpendale [Opens in a new window]
Emre Aydin
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada emre_aydin@sfu.ca jcarpend@sfu.ca
Jeremy Carpendale*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada emre_aydin@sfu.ca jcarpend@sfu.ca
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

Social relationships are crucial in human development, but we criticize Thomas’s approach in terms of epistemology, methodology, genetics, neural development, and evolutionary theory. We critique the evidence Thomas cites to support claims of innate knowledge and instead propose that understanding relationships develops gradually through infants’ interaction within developmental systems elicited by their embodiment, not from innate knowledge.

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Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 49 , 2026 , e26
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© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press

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