This study explores how differences in group autonomy are related to differences in internal group control. Results support the hypothesis and suggest that group autonomy is positively related to the manipulatory potential of the group and the control that the group has over its members.

This study reexamines Durkheim’s theory of social integration and suicide and tests for an association in a cross-cultural sample of pre-literate societies. Contrary to Durkheim’s theory, the author finds that suicide varies inversely with both social and religious integration. Results also suggested that suicide is negatively associated with a society’s ritual activity. Overall it is suggested that alienated persons in highly integrated societies will be at a greater risk of suicide than those in less integrated societies.

A study assessed whether individuals express discriminatory attitudes in family and political settings across groups defined by COVID-19 vaccination status across 21 countries. The study found that vaccinated people express discriminatory attitudes towards unvaccinated individuals at a level as high as discriminatory attitudes commonly aimed at immigrant and minority populations. However, there was an absence of evidence that unvaccinated individuals display discriminatory attitudes towards vaccinated people. Discriminatory attitudes towards the unvaccinated were found in all countries except for Hungary and Romania and were more strongly expressed in cultures with stronger cooperative norms. The study suggests that contributors to the public good of epidemic control, such as vaccinated individuals, react negatively towards perceived "free-riders," such as unvaccinated individuals. The study also suggests that discriminatory attitudes, including support for the removal of fundamental rights, emerged despite appeals to moral obligations to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake.

Using a sample of 80 countries and political regions, the present study examines the effect parasite stress has on people's trust towards ingroup and outgroup members. The findings do not offer support of there being a concave relationship between parasite stress and ingroup member trust. The results do indicate that there is a U-correlation between trusting outgroup members and parasite stress.

Derived from the fear of supernatural punishment hypothesis, this paper explores whether the prosocial attitude of a group or individuals will increase with the threat of punishment from a high god or visible supernatural agent, such as sorcerers and witches. The author found that fear of supernatural punishment did not affect prosocial behavior and suggested that religious beliefs may give rise to institutions with the task of enforcing social compliance rather than direct control.

Udy divides methods of work organization into 'production determined', 'technologically determined', 'socially determined', and 'pluralistic' types, and examines their prevalence across societies with varying subsistence activities and levels of social and political stratification. Special attention is paid to processes of integration and differentiation and their role in effecting transitions between organization types.

This book investigates the origins of supernatural and religious beliefs. The author tests associations between various types of beliefs (e.g. witchcraft, monotheism) and various societal characteristics (e.g. mobility, class stratification). Many hypotheses are supported. Theoretical discussion is included, and the author posits that “the belief in a particular kind of spirit springs from experiences with a type of persisting sovereign group whose area of jurisdiction corresponds to that attributed to the spirit” (175).

Thompson examines the relationship between sense of place and social parameters among hunter-gatherers. Results indicate that "sense of place among hunter-gatherers is closely associated with the social group that they identify with"(283), which supports the idea that sense of place is incorporated into social identity. Thompson suggests that sense of place is best characterized as a home environment that is defined by social connections, and is ultimately a key aspect of our coalitional psychology.

Thompson examines the relationship between sense of place and social parameters among hunter-gatherers. Results indicate that "sense of place among hunter-gatherers is closely associated with the social group that they identify with"(283), which supports the idea that sense of place is incorporated into social identity. Thompson suggests that sense of place is best characterized as a home environment that is defined by social connections, and is ultimately a key aspect of our coalitional psychology.

This article empirically tests the Durkheimian theory that different types of rites and the elaboration of public rituals are associated with social density. Analysis indicates that social density is negatively associated with the occurrence of crisis rites and positively associated with the occurrence of calendrical rites and ritual elaboration. Additional findings suggest that social density is a better predictor of ritual activity than political hierarchy or the division of labor.