Moralistic gods, supernatural punishment and the expansion of human sociality
Nature • Vol/Iss. 530 (7590) • Nature Publishing Group • • Published In • Pages: 327-330 •
By Purzycki, Benjamin Grant, Apicella, Coren, Atkinson, Quentin D., Cohen, Emma, McNamara, Rita Anne, Willard, Aiyana K., Xygalatas, Dimitris, Norenzayan, Ara, Henrich, Joseph
Hypothesis
Believers' perceptions of their deity's concern with human morality will be positively associated with favorable treatment of co-religionists in an allocation game (327).
Note
Belief in gods' knowledge of human affairs was significantly positively correlated with favorable treatment of unknown coreligionists from a distant region over both the self (p < 0.01) and local coreligionists (p < 0.05). Belief in gods' punishment for misdeeds was significantly positively correlated with favorable treatment of unknown coreligionists over both local coreligionists and the self (p < 0.001). The researchers controlled for material insecurity and number of children.
| Test Name | Support | Significance | Coefficient | Tail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logistic regression | Supported | UNKNOWN | UNKNOWN | UNKNOWN |
| Variable Name | Variable Type | OCM Term(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Belief In Moralizing Gods | Independent | Spirits And Gods |
| Treatment of Unknown Coreligionist | Dependent | Social Personality, Ethics |