Big Gods in small places : the Random Allocation Game in Mauritius

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Authors

XYGALATAS Dimitrios KOTHEROVÁ Silvie MAŇO Peter KUNDT Radek CIGÁN Jakub KUNDTOVÁ KLOCOVÁ Eva LANG Martin

Year of publication 2018
Type Article in Periodical
Magazine / Source Religion, Brain & Behavior
MU Faculty or unit

Faculty of Arts

Citation
Web https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/2153599X.2016.1267033
Doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/2153599X.2016.1267033
Field Philosophy and religion
Keywords Mauritius; experimental anthropology; random allocation game; morality; religion; Big Gods
Description The relationship between religion and social behavior has been the subject of longstanding debates. Recent evolutionary models of religious morality propose that particular types of supernatural beliefs related to moralizing and punitive high gods will have observable effects on prosociality. We tested this hypothesis, comparing the effects of diverse religious beliefs, practices, and contexts among Hindus in Mauritius. We found that specific aspects of religious belief (related to moralizing gods) as well as religious practice (participation in high-intensity rituals) were significant predictors of prosocial behavior. These findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of religious prosociality and have significant implications for the evolution of morality.
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