The evolution of costly displays, cooperation and religion: credibility enhancing displays and their implications for cultural evolution
The evolution of costly displays, cooperation and religion: credibility enhancing displays and their implications for cultural evolution
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DOI：
10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2009.03.005
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发表时间：
2009-07-01
影响因子：
5.1
通讯作者：
Henrich, Joseph
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Henrich, Joseph
本文阐述了一种进化理论，用于解释那些令社会科学家们着迷的奢华展示（例如，仪式性自残、动物祭祀和殉道）的认知基础和文化起源，以及那些影响文化学习和历史进程的更为平凡的行为。在第一部分，我运用自然选择的逻辑构建了一种理论，用于解释看似代价高昂的展示如何以及为何会影响与文化学习相关的认知过程——为什么“行胜于言”？核心观点是，文化学习者既可以避免被其模仿对象（他们倾向于学习的对象）操纵，又可以通过关注模仿对象的展示或行为来更准确地评估其信念的坚定程度，如果模仿对象所秉持的信念与其口头表达的不同，那么这些展示或行为对模仿对象来说似乎是有代价的。第二部分在一个简单的进化模型中考察了这种学习偏差对文化进化的影响。该模型揭示了在何种条件下这种进化而来的偏差能够创造出稳定的一系列相互关联的信念和实践，包括代价相当高昂的实践。第三部分探讨了在群体或机构之间的竞争推动下，文化进化如何在这些相互关联的信念 - 实践组合的不同集合中稳定下来，从而导致代价高昂的行为（通常以仪式的形式）与对群体有益的意识形态的更深入承诺、群体内部更高水平的合作以及在与其他群体或机构竞争中更大的成功相关联。最后，我讨论了这些观点对理解宗教现象各个方面的更广泛影响。（C）2009爱思唯尔公司。保留所有权利。
This paper lays out an evolutionary theory for the cognitive foundations and cultural emergence of the extravagant displays (e.g., ritual mutilation, animal sacrifice and martyrdom) that have so tantalized social scientists, as well as more mundane actions that influence cultural learning and historical processes. In Part I, I use the logic of natural selection to build a theory for how and why seemingly costly displays influence the cognitive processes associated with cultural learning - why do "actions speak louder than words?" The core idea is that cultural learners can both avoid being manipulated by their models (those they are inclined to learn from) and more accurately assess their belief commitment by attending to displays or actions by the model that would seem costly to the model if he held beliefs different from those he expresses verbally. Part II examines the implications for cultural evolution of this learning bias in a simple evolutionary model. The model reveals the conditions under which this evolved bias can create stable sets of interlocking beliefs and practices, including quite costly practices. Part III explores how cultural evolution, driven by competition among groups or institutions stabilized at alternative sets of these interlocking belief-practice combinations, has led to the association of costly acts, often in the form of rituals, with deeper commitments to group beneficial ideologies, higher levels of cooperation within groups, and greater success in competition with other groups or institutions. I close by discussing the broader implications of these ideas for understanding various aspects of religious phenomena. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.