Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T16:21:37.988Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The social functions of shamanism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2018

Rachel E. Watson-Jones  and
Cristine H. Legare
Rachel E. Watson-Jones
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712. dr.rachel.watsonjones@gmail.comlegare@austin.utexas.eduwww.rachelwatsonjones.comwww.cristinelegare.com
Cristine H. Legare
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712. dr.rachel.watsonjones@gmail.comlegare@austin.utexas.eduwww.rachelwatsonjones.comwww.cristinelegare.com
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Cultural evolutionary accounts of shamanism must explain the cross-cultural recurrence and variation in associated practices. We suggest that Singh's account of shamanism would be strengthened by considering the social functions of shamanism in groups. Shamanism increases social group cohesion, making it distinct from other magico-religious practices.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 41 , 2018 , e88
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Legare, C. H. & Gelman, S. (2008) Bewitchment, biology, or both: The co-existence of natural and supernatural explanatory frameworks across development. Cognitive Science 32:607–42. doi:10.1080/03640210802066766.Google Scholar
Souza, A. L. & Legare, C. H. (2011) The role of testimony in the evaluation of religious expertise. Religion, Brain, and Behavior 1:146–53.Google Scholar
Watson-Jones, R. E. & Legare, C. H. (2016) The social functions of group rituals. Current Directions in Psychological Science 25:42–46.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Winkelman, M. J. (1986b) Magico-religious practitioner types and socioeconomic conditions. Behavior Science Research 20:17–46. doi:10.1177/106939718602000102.Google Scholar