There is no ‘u’ in team: We-prioritisation does not extend to individual group members

The strength of human society may rest upon collaborative tendencies (Tomasello, 2014). Human collaboration is facilitated by the engagement of a ‘we-mode’ (Gallotti & Frith, 2013) and the subsequent capacity to represent tasks as joint rather than individual (Sebanz et al., 2003). Indeed, information that is relevant to the collective is processed with priority, although, not to the same extent as self-relevant information (Constable et al., under review). If we mode operates as a lens through which individuals process incoming stimuli, then how is a partner relevant stimulus processed? Does the semantic overlap between self and partner (as compared to stranger) produce a partner prioritisation effect or can the we-mode act as a filter to exclude or inhibit responses to stimuli that should be acted upon by a partner?