RT Article
T1 Can sexual selection theory explain the evolution of individual and group-level religious beliefs and behaviors?
JF Religion, brain & behavior
VO 7
IS 4
SP 335
OP 338
A1 Van Slyke, James A.
LA English
PB Routledge
YR 2017
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/183794718X
AB Although the scientific study of religion is predicated on the evolution of the human mind, sexual selection theory and mating strategies have received relatively little attention as an adaptive cognitive mechanism that influences religious belief and behavior. The empirical study of two hypotheses can begin to show how sexual selection theory can explain certain aspects of religion: (1) religious beliefs and behaviors are strongly influenced by unconscious features of individual evolved mating strategies; and (2) religion helps to facilitate the features of long-term mating strategies in order to promote cooperation and cohesion in groups and regulate the often competitive and more negative features of human mating.
K1 cognitive science of religion
K1 Evolutionary Psychology
K1 human sexual behavior
K1 mating strategies
K1 sexual selection theory
DO 10.1080/2153599X.2016.1249922