Increased affluence, life history theory, and the decline of shamanism.
Nicolas Baumard
Behavioral and Brain Sciences January 2018 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x17001984 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Commentary Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Shamanism |
| Key points | Argues that life history theory, an evolutionary mechanism, can explain not only the recurrence of shamanistic beliefs but also their variable distribution: when resources are abundant, individuals become more patient and open-minded, making science cognitively attractive and allowing it to replace magic. |
Abstract
I applaud Singh's proposition to use evolutionary psychology to explain the recurrence of shamanistic beliefs. Here, I suggest that evolutionary mechanisms (i.e., life history theory) also can explain the variability of the distribution of shamanism. When resources are abundant, individuals become more patient and more open minded to the point that science becomes cognitively attractive and may replace magic.