Thesis
Religion as an adaptive system: the impact of religious participation on cooperation within a rural Caribbean community
Washington State University
Master of Arts (MA), Washington State University
2011
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/105571
Abstract
The current study addresses the nature of cooperation among religious individuals in a rural community in the commonwealth of Dominica. Anthropological survey suggests that participation in religious ritual promotes cooperation among non-kins. This hypothesis is based on the cross-cultural religious characteristics of "supernatural monitoring" effects and participations for participation in rituals. The study took place over the course of two months, and lends empirical evidence to current anthropological theory by examining the relationship between religious ritual behavior and cooperation. Results support the notion that participation in religious activities increases cooperative behavior among Seventh Day Adventists and Anabaptists, but not Catholics. Post hoc analysis demonstrated that the assumed cooperative strategy of pne's opponent was a strong predicator for cooperative decisions among participants.
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Details
- Title
- Religion as an adaptive system
- Creators
- Caitlyn Diane Placek
- Contributors
- Robert J. Quinlan (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Anthropology, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Arts (MA), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; Pullman, Wash. :
- Identifiers
- 99900525297101842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis