This article examines the frequency and emotional arousal of ritual. Cross-cultural tests support the existence of two modes of religiosity: doctrinal, with high frequency and low emotionality of ritual, and imagistic, with low frequency and high emotionality of ritual. Both euphoric and dysphoric arousal are considered. Associations between these two modes of religiosity and other features of culture (such as group size and the use of agriculture) are examined.

This article examines the frequency and emotional arousal of ritual. Cross-cultural tests support the existence of two modes of religiosity: doctrinal, with high frequency and low emotionality of ritual, and imagistic, with low frequency and high emotionality of ritual. Both euphoric and dysphoric arousal are considered. Associations between these two modes of religiosity and other features of culture (such as group size and the use of agriculture) are examined.

This article examines the frequency and emotional arousal of ritual. Cross-cultural tests support the existence of two modes of religiosity: doctrinal, with high frequency and low emotionality of ritual, and imagistic, with low frequency and high emotionality of ritual. Both euphoric and dysphoric arousal are considered. Associations between these two modes of religiosity and other features of culture (such as group size and the use of agriculture) are examined.

This article examines the frequency and emotional arousal of ritual. Cross-cultural tests support the existence of two modes of religiosity: doctrinal, with high frequency and low emotionality of ritual, and imagistic, with low frequency and high emotionality of ritual. Both euphoric and dysphoric arousal are considered. Associations between these two modes of religiosity and other features of culture (such as group size and the use of agriculture) are examined.

This article is a quantitative analysis of 592 participants from 8 societies. The study examines a number of theories about what predicts moralistic religions, including life history theory. Findings suggest that there is no evident relationship between these life history predictions and the religious beliefs regarding moralism.

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.

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.

This article examines the relationship between religiousness, child socialization, and cultural complexity. Empirical analysis suggests that there is a positive association between cultural complexity and religiousness, especially ritual. Religiousness was also associated with schooling, one of the child-rearing variables examined. A theoretical discussion concerning religion and intellect is also included.

This article examines the relationship between religiousness, child socialization, and cultural complexity. Empirical analysis suggests that there is a positive association between cultural complexity and religiousness, especially ritual. Religiousness was also associated with schooling, one of the child-rearing variables examined. A theoretical discussion concerning religion and intellect is also included.

This article describes the rise of abstracted religious beliefs in larger, more anonymous societies and investigates whether societal density and differentiation have had similar effects on ritual. The authors suggest that the universalization of ritual is due in part to interrelated effects of population size, political hierarchy, economic division of labor, and monetary exchange, all factors that create anonymity in society.