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The cognitive foundations of children’s culture

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 July 2026

Annie E. Wertz Open the ORCID record for Annie E. Wertz [Opens in a new window]  and
Connair Russell-Wilks Open the ORCID record for Connair Russell-Wilks [Opens in a new window]
Annie E. Wertz*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106-9660, USA wertz@ucsb.edu
Connair Russell-Wilks
Affiliation:
School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy & Politics, Queen’s University Belfast, 25 University Square, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT7 1NN, UK c.russell@qub.ac.uk
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

Lew-Levy and Amir clearly articulate the importance of children’s peer cultures in broader human culture and evolution. However, peer cultures are juxtaposed against a relatively narrow definition of adult culture, which risks overlooking potential similarities. We argue that a more comprehensive analysis of the underlying psychological mechanisms will be required to elucidate whether children’s peer cultures are truly distinct.

Information

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 49 , 2026 , e254
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press

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