A nexus model of the temporal–parietal junction

• The temporal–parietal junction (TPJ) supports novel functions synthesized from convergent processes.
• Attention, language, memory, and social processing streams intersect in the TPJ.
• Convergent processing in TPJ establishes a social context for behavior.

The temporal–parietal junction (TPJ) has been proposed to support either specifically social functions or non-specific processes of cognition such as memory and attention. To account for diverse prior findings, we propose a nexus model for TPJ function: overlap of basic processes produces novel secondary functions at their convergence. We present meta-analytic evidence that is consistent with the anatomical convergence of attention, memory, language, and social processing in the TPJ, leading to a higher-order role in the creation of a social context for behavior. The nexus model accounts for recent examples of TPJ contributions specifically to decision making in a social context and provides a potential reconciliation for competing claims about TPJ function.