Appealing to the minds of gods: religious beliefs and appeals correspond to features of local social ecologies
Religion, Brain & Behavior • Vol/Iss. 14(2) • Routledge • • Published In • Pages: 183-205 •
By Bendixen, Theiss, Apicella, Coren, Atkinson, Quentin, Cohen, Emma, Henrich, Joseph, McNamara, Rita A., Norenzayan, Ara, Willard, Aiyana K., Xygalatas, Dimitris, Purzycki, Benjamin Grant
Hypothesis
Religious beliefs surrounding making appeals to deities tend to reflect the structure of local social ecologies, particularly regarding cooperation and coordination.
Note
The variable “local social ecologies” was quantified using survey data about the following topics: morality, virtue and etiquette (good vs. poor for all three); local notions of substance use (vs. abuse); local economies and modes of subsistence; and finally, local policing. Beliefs surrounding deities were quantified using responses to survey questions about the likes and dislikes of individual gods.
| Test Name | Support | Significance | Coefficient | Tail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith's S | Supported | NA | NA | NA |
| Variable Name | Variable Type | OCM Term(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Local social ecology | Independent | NONE |
| Beliefs surrounding the desires and concerns of deities | Dependent | Religious Beliefs |