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The interpersonal foundations of thinking

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 October 2005

R. Peter Hobson*
Affiliation:
Behavioural and Brain Sciences Unit, Institute of Child Health, LondonWC1N 1EH, United Kingdom

Abstract

Tomasello et al. provide a convincing account of the origins of cultural cognition. I highlight how emotionally grounded sharing of experiences (not merely or predominantly intentions) is critical for the development of interpersonal understanding and perspective-sensitive thinking. Such sharing is specifically human in quality as well as motivation, and entails forms of self–other connectedness and differentiation that are essential to communication and symbolic functioning.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2005

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