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Representations of equality or partiality? Unequal distributions as cues to social relationships

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 May 2026

Alex Mackiel Open the ORCID record for Alex Mackiel [Opens in a new window]  and
Amanda Woodward Open the ORCID record for Amanda Woodward [Opens in a new window]
Alex Mackiel*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA amackiel@uchicago.edu https://ajmackiel.wixsite.com/alexmackiel woodward@uchicago.edu https://woodwardlab.uchicago.edu/amanda-woodward/
Amanda Woodward
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA amackiel@uchicago.edu https://ajmackiel.wixsite.com/alexmackiel woodward@uchicago.edu https://woodwardlab.uchicago.edu/amanda-woodward/
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

Thomas compellingly argues that infants are especially attuned to relationships. We agree but suggest her claims can reach further in her discussion of infants’ reactions to distributional events. Thomas overlooks an interpretation of this literature in which unequal allocations might reflect relational inferences, challenging some of her claims regarding equality matching relationships and whether infants possess an “innate moral core.”

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 49 , 2026 , e37
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press

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