ORCID
- Patricia Kanngiesser: 0000-0003-1068-3725
Abstract
Researchers conducting experimental work on sociocognitive development in childhood typically study one-on-one interactions. This approach aligns with the assumption that children's social cognition, motivation, and learning first emerge in dyadic interactions before scaling up to larger social ensembles. In this article, we argue that this dyadic default reflects widespread theoretical and cultural biases as well as methodological convenience, leading to an overemphasis on dyadic interactions in research on child development. Because dyadic engagements can differ qualitatively and quantitatively from those in larger social ensembles, the dyadic default may systematically skew our understanding of key areas of social development and fail to account for global variation in childhood experiences. We suggest that researchers prioritize studying social ensembles of three and more individuals to capture more effectively the dynamics of childhood social development that include but are not limited to, dyads.
DOI Link
Publication Date
2026-01-28
Publication Title
Child Development Perspectives
ISSN
1750-8592
Acceptance Date
2025-11-28
Deposit Date
2026-04-10
Funding
The authors were supported by their respective institutions (R.S.: Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science; P.K.: University of Plymouth; S.M.: University of Portsmouth) as part of their regular employment (no grant numbers assigned). R.S. was further supported by a Jacobs CIFAR Research Fellowship (JCRF; Grant No. 2024-1533-00).
Keywords
Dyads, Polyads, Social cognition, Social development, Social groups
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Stengelin, R., Kanngiesser, P., & Milward, S. (2026) 'Overcoming the dyadic default in research on child development', Child Development Perspectives, . Available at: 10.1093/cdpers/aadaf015
