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High illness loads (physical and social) do not always force high levels of mass religiosity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2012

Gregory S. Paul
Gregory S. Paul
Affiliation:
3109 N. Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD 21218. [email protected]
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Abstract

The hypothesis that high levels of religiosity are partly caused by high disease loads is in accord with studies showing that societal dysfunction promotes mass supernaturalism. However, some cultures suffering from high rates of disease and other socioeconomic dysfunction exhibit low levels of popular religiosity. At this point, it appears that religion is hard pressed to thrive in healthy societies, but poor conditions do not always make religion popular, either.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 35 , Issue 2 , April 2012 , pp. 90
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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