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Meta-cognition for music as a solution to the fragmentation problem

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 November 2025

Psyche Loui Open the ORCID record for Psyche Loui [Opens in a new window]  and
Elizabeth H. Margulis Open the ORCID record for Elizabeth H. Margulis [Opens in a new window]
Psyche Loui*
Affiliation:
Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA p.loui@northeastern.edu www.psycheloui.com
Elizabeth H. Margulis
Affiliation:
Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA margulis@princeton.edu www.elizabethmargulis.com
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

Meta-cognition enhances the social bonding hypothesis for musicality, integrating imagination, episodic simulation, causal inference, and inhibition. Music fosters group cohesion by engaging the endogenous opioid system, supporting intergroup understanding through vivid mental imagery, and facilitating socio-affective fiction. Additionally, causal inference enables contextual interpretation of music, while inhibition refines musical coordination and executive function, reinforcing cognitive flexibility for cooperative social behavior.

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Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 48 , 2025 , e175
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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