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PURZYCKI, Benjamin Grant, Joseph HENRICH, Coren APICELLA, Quentin ATKINSON, Adam BAIMEL, Emma COHEN, Rita MCNAMARA, Aiyana WILLARD, Dimitrios XYGALATAS and Ara NORENZAYAN. The evolution of religion and morality : A synthesis of ethnographic and experimental evidence from eight societies. Religion, Brain & Behavior. Routledge, vol. 8, No 2, p. 101-132. ISSN 2153-599X. doi:10.1080/2153599X.2016.1267027. 2018.

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TY  - JOUR
ID  - 1378132
AU  - Purzycki, Benjamin Grant - Henrich, Joseph - Apicella, Coren - Atkinson, Quentin - Baimel, Adam - Cohen, Emma - McNamara, Rita - Willard, Aiyana - Xygalatas, Dimitrios - Norenzayan, Ara
PY  - 2018
TI  - The evolution of religion and morality : A synthesis of ethnographic and experimental evidence from eight societies
JF  - Religion, Brain & Behavior
VL  - 8
IS  - 2
SP  - 101-132
EP  - 101-132
PB  - Routledge
SN  - 2153599X
KW  - religion
KW  - cooperation
KW  - evolution
KW  - cross-cultural research
KW  - anthropology
KW  - psychology
KW  - behavioral economics
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/2153599X.2016.1267027
N2  - 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.
ER  -

Basic information
Original name	The evolution of religion and morality : A synthesis of ethnographic and experimental evidence from eight societies
Authors	PURZYCKI, Benjamin Grant (840 United States of America), Joseph HENRICH (840 United States of America), Coren APICELLA (840 United States of America), Quentin ATKINSON (554 New Zealand), Adam BAIMEL (840 United States of America), Emma COHEN (826 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), Rita MCNAMARA (840 United States of America), Aiyana WILLARD (840 United States of America), Dimitrios XYGALATAS (300 Greece, guarantor, belonging to the institution) and Ara NORENZAYAN (124 Canada).
Edition	Religion, Brain & Behavior, Routledge, 2018, 2153-599X.

Other information
Original language	English
Type of outcome	Article in a journal
Field of Study	60304 Religious studies
Country of publisher	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Confidentiality degree	is not subject to a state or trade secret
WWW	URL
RIV identification code	RIV/00216224:14210/18:00101986
Organization unit	Faculty of Arts
Doi	http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/2153599X.2016.1267027
UT WoS	000429036400001
Keywords in English	religion; cooperation; evolution; cross-cultural research; anthropology; psychology; behavioral economics
Tags	rivok
Tags	International impact, Reviewed
Changed by	Changed by: Mgr. Michal Petr, učo 65024. Changed: 19/4/2024 14:40.

Abstract
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.

Abstract

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.

Links
EE2.3.20.0048, research and development project	Name: Laboratoř pro experimentální výzkum náboženství