Costs do not Explain Trust among Secular Groups

J 2018

Costs do not Explain Trust among Secular Groups

SHAVER, John Hayward, Susan DIVIETRO, Martin LANG and Richard SOSIS

Basic information

Original name

Costs do not Explain Trust among Secular Groups

Authors

SHAVER, John Hayward (840 United States of America), Susan DIVIETRO (840 United States of America), Martin LANG (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution) and Richard SOSIS (840 United States of America)

Edition

Journal of Cognition and Culture, Brill, 2018, 1567-7095

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

60304 Religious studies

Country of publisher

Belgium

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

URL

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14210/18:00102638

Organization unit

Faculty of Arts

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685373-12340025

UT WoS

000431048200009

Keywords in English

costly signaling theory; trust; ideologies; fraternities; secular groups

Abstract

V originále

Many human groups achieve high levels of trust and cooperation, but these achievements are vulnerable to exploitation. Several theorists have suggested that when groups impose costs on their members, these costs can function to limit freeriding, and hence promote trust and cooperation. While a substantial body of experimental research has demonstrated a positive relationship between costs and cooperation in religious groups, to date, this relationship has not held for secular groups. Here we extend this line of research by comparing trust and cooperation among 11 secular groups, including four U.S. Greek fraternities that impose high costs on their members. We find that although fraternities impose greater costs on their members than social clubs, fraternities and social clubs do not significantly differ in their levels of intra-group trust. Moreover, variation in costs does not explain variation in trust among fraternities. We suggest that the lack of an evident relationship between costs and trust in our results is because secular groups, unlike religious groups, lack repeated rituals that are coupled with supernatural ideologies. We conclude by suggesting possible avenues for future research.

Links

EE2.3.20.0048, research and development project

Name: Laboratoř pro experimentální výzkum náboženství

Citovat

SHAVER, John Hayward, Susan DIVIETRO, Martin LANG and Richard SOSIS. Costs do not Explain Trust among Secular Groups. Journal of Cognition and Culture. Brill, 2018, vol. 18, 1-2, p. 180-204. ISSN 1567-7095. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685373-12340025.

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   author = {Shaver, John Hayward and DiVietro, Susan and Lang, Martin and Sosis, Richard},
   article_number = {1-2},
   doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685373-12340025},
   keywords = {costly signaling theory; trust; ideologies; fraternities; secular groups},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {1567-7095},
   journal = {Journal of Cognition and Culture},
   title = {Costs do not Explain Trust among Secular Groups},
   url = {http://booksandjournals.brillonline.com/content/journals/10.1163/15685373-12340025},
   volume = {18},
   year = {2018}
}

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AU  - Shaver, John Hayward - DiVietro, Susan - Lang, Martin - Sosis, Richard
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JF  - Journal of Cognition and Culture
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EP  - 180-204
PB  - Brill
SN  - 15677095
KW  - costly signaling theory
KW  - trust
KW  - ideologies
KW  - fraternities
KW  - secular groups
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L2  - http://booksandjournals.brillonline.com/content/journals/10.1163/15685373-12340025
N2  - Many human groups achieve high levels of trust and cooperation, but these achievements are vulnerable to exploitation. Several theorists have suggested that when groups impose costs on their members, these costs can function to limit freeriding, and hence promote trust and cooperation. While a substantial body of experimental research has demonstrated a positive relationship between costs and cooperation in religious groups, to date, this relationship has not held for secular groups. Here we extend this line of research by comparing trust and cooperation among 11 secular groups, including four U.S. Greek fraternities that impose high costs on their members. We find that although fraternities impose greater costs on their members than social clubs, fraternities and social clubs do not significantly differ in their levels of intra-group trust. Moreover, variation in costs does not explain variation in trust among fraternities. We suggest that the lack of an evident relationship between costs and trust in our results is because secular groups, unlike religious groups, lack repeated rituals that are coupled with supernatural ideologies. We conclude by suggesting possible avenues for future research.
ER  -

SHAVER, John Hayward, Susan DIVIETRO, Martin LANG and Richard SOSIS. Costs do not Explain Trust among Secular Groups. \textit{Journal of Cognition and Culture}. Brill, 2018, vol.~18, 1-2, p.~180-204. ISSN~1567-7095. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685373-12340025.

Detailed Information on Publication Record