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Historical myths promote cooperation through affective states

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2025

Caleb Wildes  and
Kristin Andrews Open the ORCID record for Kristin Andrews [Opens in a new window]
Caleb Wildes
Affiliation:
Department of Philosophy, York University, Toronto, Canada [email protected] [email protected] Kristinandrews.org
Kristin Andrews*
Affiliation:
Department of Philosophy, York University, Toronto, Canada [email protected] [email protected] Kristinandrews.org
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

Although we agree that historical myths function to increase cooperation in the groups that share them, we propose that the mechanisms at work may include affective states. We suggest that sharing historical myths can create a felt sense of intimacy, similarity, and security among group members, which increases trust and motivates cooperation, even without particular beliefs about population structure.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 47 , 2024 , e193
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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References

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