Abstract
Most research on cognition behind religious belief assumes that understanding of other minds is culturally uniform and follows the Western model of mind, which posits that (a) others' thoughts can be known and (b) action is best explained by mental state inference. This is potentially problematic if, as a growing body of evidence suggests, other populations view minds differently. We recruit Indigenous iTaukei Fijians who hold (a) a model of mind that discourages mental state inference and (b) co-existing Christian (Western) and traditional supernatural agent beliefs. Study 1 (N = 108), uses free-listing to examine how Western and local models of mind relate to beliefs. The Christian God cares about internal states and traits (aligning with the Western model of mind). Study 2 tests whether evoking God triggers intent focus in moral reasoning. Instead, God appears to enforce cultural models of mind in iTaukei (N = 151) and North Americans (N = 561). Expected divine judgement mirrors human judgement; iTaukei (N = 90) expect God to emphasise outcome, while Indo-Fijians (N = 219) and North Americans (N = 412) expect God to emphasise intent. When reminded to think about thoughts, iTaukei (N = 72) expect God to judge outcomes less harshly. Results suggest cultural/cognitive co-evolution: introduced cultural forms can spread new cognitive approaches, while Indigenous beliefs can persist as a reflection of local institutions.
Highlights
IntroductionWestern cultural norms and institutions have spread to many societies across the globe
Through colonialisation and globalisation, Western cultural norms and institutions have spread to many societies across the globe
As we expect the Christian God to be more associated with inner states and traits, we expect more items that relate to internal qualities like morality, while the Kalou-vu remain more focused on actions like ritual
Summary
Western cultural norms and institutions have spread to many societies across the globe. We focus here on religious belief; religious beliefs interlace with and influence different normative rules structuring social interactions These rules in turn re-configure the attentional and motivational affordances that cognitive systems can work upon to enable individuals to navigate and thrive in particular social contexts. An evolutionary and cognitive science of religion account of this variation would suggest that these beliefs vary partly as a function of the ecological systems believer groups live in, and partly as a function of pan-human social cognitive mechanisms We explore the cultural evolutionary influences on belief as two distinct religious traditions intersect with two distinct ways of approaching other human minds within a group of believers who live in a rapidly changing cultural environment
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