Ritual as a moral technology: Altering our perception of norms
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| Year of publication | 2025 |
| Type | Requested lectures |
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| Description | Prominent anthropological theories propose that rituals charge associated moral norms with objectivity such that moral norms are perceived as absolute and independent of time and space. Higher perceived norm objectivity strengthens internal motivation to adhere to norms thus stabilizing risky cooperation within the group. To test the relationship between attending collective religious rituals and the perception of moral norms as objective, we used two cross-sectional datasets and conducted five correlational studies with three culturally distinct populations. The results, supported by meta-analysis of our effect sizes, show a positive association. |