Inter-disciplinary
studies of ToM religion
& inter-species ToM
Religion & inter-species ToM
Experiments
O Contact me if you have not signed up for an
experiment or if you cannot find one.
O 19th and 20th November
Readings
O Boyer, P. (2003). Religious thought and
behaviour as by-products of brain function.
Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 7(3), 119–124.
doi:10.1016/S1364-6613(03)00031-7
O Norenzayan, A., Gervais, W. M., & Trzesniewski,
K. H. (2012). Mentalizing deficits constrain
belief in a personal God. (T. Zalla, Ed.) PLoS
ONE, 7(5) =, e36880
O Premack, D., & Woodruff, G. (1978). Does the
chimpanzee have a theory of mind? The
Behavioural and Brain Sciences, 4, 515, 526.
O Primates
O Avian species
O Canines
Areas covered:
O Agency detection
O Empathy – consolation and fairness
O Experience projection
Inter species – primates
Two main camps
Povinelli et al
Chimps possesses a
behaviouristic rather
than a true
mentalistic
understanding of
others
Tomasello et al
Chimps do
understand
psychological states
in others and the
question is: which
ones and to what
extent
Department of Developmental and Comparative Psychology
The Department of Developmental and Comparative Psychology investigates
cognitive and social-cognitive processes in humans and their nearest primate
relatives. Of special interest are the uniquely human cognitive, social-cognitive,
and symbolic processes involved in cultural learning and creation. The
department has three main areas of research: the Ontogeny of Human Social
Cognition, the Acquisition of Language, and Primate Cognition.
Call, J., & Tomasello, M. (2008). Does the chimpanzee
have a theory of mind? 30 years later. Trends in cognitive
sciences, 12(5), 187–92.
O They understand goals
and intentions of others
as well as hold
perception and
knowledge of others.
Frans de Waal – Moral
behaviour in monkeys
Frans de Waal
Sharing of states of mind through bodily
communication? (versus cognitive)
Immediacy of emphatic responses: empathyfeeling
of another one’s state not based on
cognitive deduction.
Bottom-up view
Povinelli Chimps lab
O Chimps only understand surface level behaviours
O Study on joint attention: 1 year olds, 2 year olds and
chimpanzees
O Social prompt
O Physical prompt
O Similarities: 1 year olds and chimps only showed carry
over effect in the event with social cues
O Differences between 1 year olds and chimps: social
communication
Romero, T., Castellanos,
M. a, & de Waal, F. B. M.
(2010). Consolation as
possible expression of
sympathetic concern
among chimpanzees.
Proceedings of the
National Academy of
Sciences of the United
States of America,
107(27), 12110–5.
ToM??
O goals and intentions of others
O perception and knowledge of others
O But no evidence of False Belief
understanding
Inter species – avian:
western scrub-jays
O Counter strategies used to
prevent pilfering of their
cached food from others:
O Behind barriers
O Use shade and distance to
reduce what others can see
O Use numerous caching sites
O Recaching when observed or
after stealing another’s cache
Experience projection
O Recaching- experience projection.
Simulation by mental attribution of other
birds since naïve birds do not do this?
Inter species – avian:
native New Zealand Robins
Agency detection
Agent detection
Dogs and the yawn contagion
O Only after 7 months of age
Campbell et al. 2009:
empathy, involuntary identification and motor mimicry
Religion
Religion
O Religion is a collection of belief systems, cultural
systems, and world views that relate humanity to
spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values
O Largely about intentional agents that one does
not physically encounter.
O Possible that- Representation of supernatural
agents activates and modifies inference systems
involved in the representation of ordinary human
agents.
Beliefs and Behaviours
O Prayers
O Rituals
Rituals: risk aversion, seek
favours…
Mauritius, April 2012
Mauritius, April 2012
Anthropomorphism
attribution of human characteristics (or
characteristics assumed to belong only
to humans) to other animals, non-living
things, phenomena, material states,
objects or abstract concepts, such as
organizations, governments, spirits or
deities.
Differentiate between
attribution of…
O Physical only characteristics
O Or physical and mental/ emotional/
psychological characteristics
Agent versus agency
Norenzayan et al.
O Religious believers intuitively conceptualize
deities as intentional agents with mental
states who anticipate and respond to human
beliefs, desires and concerns.
O Believers intuitively treat gods as intentional
agents with mental states who enter into
social relationships with humans, using
supernatural powers to assuage existential
concerns, respond to human desires, and
monitor their social behaviour
Mentally representing supernatural beings
(and their mental states) requires mentalizing
capacities.
O Agency detection
EToM
O Shares many of the core mechanisms
behind everyday social cognition
ToM in other species: bottom-up or top-down?
Imitation, agent detection, experience
projection, empathy
ToM in religion: anthropomorphism, agency
detection