I heard about this in regards to religion and people's interaction when religion is on topic.

It seems that the default state for being part of a religion, (or I suppose political party) - is that there is a tiny minority which is the adult/dictator - and everyone else is the studious child - nodding and agreeing. There is never (at least from my experience) - any adult to adult interaction, because by definition, the main subject (preacher, person discussing and considering from their own perspective) - has the supreme authority on behalf of the deity, and so they are at the top, and others who are learning from them or arguing with them aren't as enlightened as ones-self.

If a religious person with actual belief in the book are talking to a non-believer or person of other religion - then they are the adult and the other is an ignorant child, a child acting like an adult, which needs to be shut down without angering them (from their perspective)

If two peers are discussing - then they either have the same belief, and so are both children to the belief or acting as an adult in tandem and everyone else is the child; or if they have differing beliefs, then they are adult-child, and may switch roles at times through the conversation.

Thoughts? these are my feelings and experiences~