Ritual behavior affects perceived objectivity of moral norms
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| Year of publication | 2024 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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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. Moreover, increased saliency of the characteristic aspects of ritual form, namely the perceived invariance, and digitalizing and materializing potentials, was associated with increased reporting of moral norms as objective. Overall, we provide initial support for theories suggesting that ritual form affects perceptual mechanisms related to norm processing. |
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