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.