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Core affective mechanisms maintaining group cohesion

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 November 2025

Karlijn van Heijst Open the ORCID record for Karlijn van Heijst [Opens in a new window]  and
Mariska E. Kret Open the ORCID record for Mariska E. Kret [Opens in a new window]
Karlijn van Heijst*
Affiliation:
Cognitive Psychology Unit, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands k.van.heijst@fsw.leidenuniv.nl Comparative Psychology & Affective Neuroscience Lab, Cognitive Psychology Department, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
Mariska E. Kret
Affiliation:
Cognitive Psychology Unit, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands k.van.heijst@fsw.leidenuniv.nl Comparative Psychology & Affective Neuroscience Lab, Cognitive Psychology Department, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands m.e.kret@fsw.leidenuniv.nl
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

As the third solution to group dispersion, Dunbar proposes primates use several higher order cognitive skills to especially manage ‘weak ties’ in a nuanced and fast-tracked way, therewith avoiding unnecessary conflicts. We here argue that subconscious, automatic processes including attention allocation and behavioral or neurophysiological state matching can serve a similar function in maintaining group cohesion.

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 48 , 2025 , e185
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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