RT Article
T1 The evolution of religion and morality: a synthesis of ethnographic and experimental evidence from eight societies
JF Religion, brain & behavior
VO 8
IS 2
SP 101
OP 132
A1 Purzycki, Benjamin Grant
A1 Henrich, Joseph
A1 Apicella, Coren
A1 Atkinson, Quentin D.
A1 Baimel, Adam
A1 Cohen, Emma
A1 McNamara, Rita Anne
A1 Willard, Aiyana K.
A1 Xygalatas, Dimitris
A1 Norenzayan, Ara
A2 Henrich, Joseph
A2 Apicella, Coren
A2 Atkinson, Quentin D.
A2 Baimel, Adam
A2 Cohen, Emma
A2 McNamara, Rita Anne
A2 Willard, Aiyana K.
A2 Xygalatas, Dimitris
A2 Norenzayan, Ara
LA English
YR 2018
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1837947481
AB Understanding the expansion of human sociality and cooperation beyond kith and kin remains an important evolutionary puzzle. There is likely a complex web of processes including institutions, norms, and practices that contributes to this phenomenon. Considerable evidence suggests that one such process involves certain components of religious systems that may have fostered the expansion of human cooperation in a variety of ways, including both certain forms of rituals and commitment to particular types of gods. Using an experimental economic game, our team specifically tested whether or not individually held mental models of moralistic, punishing, and knowledgeable gods curb biases in favor of the self and the local community, and increase impartiality toward geographically distant anonymous co-religionists. Our sample includes 591 participants from eight diverse societies - iTaukei (indigenous) Fijians who practice both Christianity and ancestor worship, the animist Hadza of Tanzania, Hindu Indo-Fijians, Hindu Mauritians, shamanist-Buddhist Tyvans of southern Siberia, traditional Inland and Christian Coastal Vanuatuans from Tanna, and Christian Brazilians from Pesqueiro. In this article, we present cross-cultural evidence that addresses this question and discuss the implications and limitations of our project. This volume also offers detailed, site-specific reports to provide further contextualization at the local level.
K1 Religion
K1 Anthropology
K1 Behavioral economics
K1 Cooperation
K1 cross-cultural research
K1 Evolution
K1 Psychology
DO 10.1080/2153599X.2016.1267027