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Psychological mechanisms for individual recognition- and anonymous-societies in humans and other animals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 April 2025

Christopher Krupenye Open the ORCID record for Christopher Krupenye [Opens in a new window] ,
Luz Carvajal  and
Amalia P. M. Bastos Open the ORCID record for Amalia P. M. Bastos [Opens in a new window]
Christopher Krupenye*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA krupenye@jhu.edu lcarvaj2@jhu.edu bastosamalia@hotmail.com social-cognitive-origins.com
Luz Carvajal
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA krupenye@jhu.edu lcarvaj2@jhu.edu bastosamalia@hotmail.com social-cognitive-origins.com
Amalia P. M. Bastos
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA krupenye@jhu.edu lcarvaj2@jhu.edu bastosamalia@hotmail.com social-cognitive-origins.com
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

To understand the nature and evolution of different kinds of societies, we must characterize the psychological mechanisms members use to identify who belongs. Across both individual recognition- and anonymous-societies, these range from physiological responses to individuals up to powerful conceptual representations of the group that license generalization and novel predictions. Sketching these mechanisms helps us understand the transition from the individual recognition societies of our ape ancestors to uniquely human forms of anonymous society.

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 48 , 2025 , e65
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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