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What’s special about peer cultures? The opportunity for disagreement

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 July 2026

Antonia F. Langenhoff Open the ORCID record for Antonia F. Langenhoff [Opens in a new window] ,
Carolyn Baer Open the ORCID record for Carolyn Baer [Opens in a new window]  and
Jamie Amemiya
Antonia F. Langenhoff*
Affiliation:
Stanford University, Stanford, CA, US antonial@stanford.edu
Carolyn Baer
Affiliation:
Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada carolynbaer@trentu.ca
Jamie Amemiya
Affiliation:
Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA, US amemiya@oxy.edu
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

Lew-Levy and Amir begin to identify mechanisms through which peer interactions can drive cultural change. We highlight an additional important mechanism: peer disagreement. We propose that the egalitarian and learning-oriented nature of peer disagreements prompts children to reflect on the limitations of their knowledge, and to evaluate and integrate competing perspectives, thereby providing fertile ground for the co-creation of new insights.

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 49 , 2026 , e239
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press

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