Cultural evolution and prosociality: Widening the hypothesis space.

Area of Science:

• Social and Cultural Anthropology
• Evolutionary Sociology
• Comparative Religion

Background:

• The "Big Gods" hypothesis posits that belief in supernatural deities with moralizing and watchful attributes is crucial for the development of large-scale, cooperative societies.
• Norenzayan et al. proposed that "Big Governments" might serve a similar function to "Big Gods" in promoting prosocial behavior and social cohesion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate alternative mechanisms of social control and cooperation beyond the "Big Gods" or "Big Governments" framework.
• To examine the role of social and self-monitoring, and ritual practices in diverse societal structures.
• To expand the theoretical scope for understanding the evolution of cooperation in human societies.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of historical and contemporary societies with differing organizational principles.
• Examination of social and self-monitoring strategies in Classical Chinese philosophy and governance.
• Analysis of ritual practices and heterarchical social structures in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica.
• Case study of the Zapatista movement in Chiapas, focusing on their unique social organization and governance.

Main Results:

• Evidence suggests that social and self-monitoring, coupled with ritualistic practices, can facilitate cooperation in societies lacking a "Big God" or centralized "Big Government."
• Heterarchical societies in Mesoamerica demonstrate complex forms of social order maintained through decentralized mechanisms.
• The Zapatista movement exemplifies a contemporary alternative model of social organization emphasizing community-based monitoring and collective action.

Conclusions:

• The findings challenge the universality of the "Big Gods" hypothesis and suggest that diverse forms of social organization can effectively promote cooperation.
• Widening the hypothesis space to include alternative social and self-monitoring systems is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of human sociality.
• Future research should continue to explore the interplay between monitoring, ritual, and cooperation across a broader spectrum of societal structures.