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From pairs to patterns: combinatorial processes and relational reasoning in the processing of social relations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 May 2026

Olivier Mascaro Open the ORCID record for Olivier Mascaro [Opens in a new window]
Olivier Mascaro*
Affiliation:
Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, F-75006 Paris, France olivier.mascaro@gmail.com
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

Ashley Thomas’s account does not detail mechanisms for processing structural regularities, organizing sets of social relationships. I argue that combinatoriality and relational reasoning are essential for processing social structures. These abilities, foundational to processing social relationships, enable early, abstract, and flexible understanding of social hierarchies and networks, supporting adaptive social inference across species and development.

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 49 , 2026 , e38
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press

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