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Divorcing the puzzles: When group identities foster in-group cooperation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 March 2016

Daniel Seewald ,
Stefanie Hechler  and
Thomas Kessler
Daniel Seewald
Affiliation:
Department of Social Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University, 07743 Jena, Germany. daniel.seewald@uni-jena.de stefanie.hechler@uni-jena.de thomas.kessler@uni-jena.de http://www.sozialpsychologie.uni-jena.de/?lang=en
Stefanie Hechler
Affiliation:
Department of Social Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University, 07743 Jena, Germany. daniel.seewald@uni-jena.de stefanie.hechler@uni-jena.de thomas.kessler@uni-jena.de http://www.sozialpsychologie.uni-jena.de/?lang=en
Thomas Kessler
Affiliation:
Department of Social Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University, 07743 Jena, Germany. daniel.seewald@uni-jena.de stefanie.hechler@uni-jena.de thomas.kessler@uni-jena.de http://www.sozialpsychologie.uni-jena.de/?lang=en
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Abstract

We argue that general social psychological mechanisms (e.g., common group identity) can account for prosocial behavior and cooperative norms without the need for punishing Big Gods. Moreover, prosocial religions often do not prevent conflict within their religious groups. Hence, we doubt whether Big Gods and prosocial religions are more effective than alternative identities in enhancing high-level cooperation.

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 39 , 2016 , e23
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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