How Objects Become Social in the Brain: Five Questions for a Neuroscience of Social Reality

Social objects have been at the centre of philosophical discussion and debate over the last decade. So far, however, little empirical work has been conducted on social objects and we are still at the very early stages of understanding how the brain permits us to represent, recognize, and constitute a social reality. In this chapter, we consider five core questions for a neuroscience of social objects: Are social objects a category of objects in the brain? When we use money or see it being used, do we employ similar representations as those of concrete tools such as screwdrivers? How do status functions emerge? Do social objects depend on a uniquely human ability to share goals and intentions? Do social objects influence the sensory-motor system? We speculate on ways in which these questions might be addressed combining behavioural, developmental, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging approaches.