Explaining illness with evil: pathogen prevalence fosters moral vitalism.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Bastian B
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6842846 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Explaining illness with evil: pathogen prevalence fosters moral vitalism.
Bastian Brock B Vauclair Christin-Melanie CM Loughnan Steve S Bain Paul P Ashokkumar Ashwini A Becker Maja M Bilewicz Michał M Collier-Baker Emma E Crespo Carla C Eastwick Paul W PW Fischer Ronald R Friese Malte M Gómez Ángel Á Guerra Valeschka M VM Guevara José Luis Castellanos JLC Hanke Katja K Hooper Nic N Huang Li-Li LL Junqi Shi S Karasawa Minoru M Kuppens Peter P Leknes Siri S Peker Müjde M Pelay Cesar C Pina Afroditi A Sachkova Marianna M Saguy Tamar T Silfver-Kuhalampi Mia M Sortheix Florencia F Tong Jennifer J Yeung Victoria Wai-Lan VW Duffy Jacob J Swann William B WB
Proceedings. Biological sciences 20191030 1914
Pathogens represent a significant threat to human health leading to the emergence of strategies designed to help manage their negative impact. We examined how spiritual beliefs developed to explain and predict the devastating effects of pathogens and spread of infectious disease. Analysis of existing data in studies 1 and 2 suggests that moral vitalism (beliefs about spiritual forces of evil) is higher in geographical regions characterized by historical higher levels of pathogens. Furthermore, d ...[more]
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