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Caregiving relationships as evolutionary and developmental bases of obligation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 April 2020

Rachna B. Reddy  and
Henry M. Wellman Open the ORCID record for Henry M. Wellman [Opens in a new window]
Rachna B. Reddy
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109. rachnare@umich.eduhttps://sites.lsa.umich.edu/rachnareddy/
Henry M. Wellman
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109. hmw@umich.edu
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Abstract

Obligation as defined by Tomasello requires mutually capable parties, but one-sided caregiver relationships reveal its developmental and evolutionary precursors. Specifically, “coercive” emotions may prompt protective action by caregivers toward infant primates, and infants show distress toward caregivers when they appear to violate expectations in their relationships. We argue that these early social-relational expectations and emotions may form the base of obligation.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 43 , 2020 , e83
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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