Moral intuitions and religiosity as spuriously correlated life history traits
Abstract
Religions promote moral rules of behavior and religiosity is associated with some types of moral intuitions, but there is no ultimate-level explanation for this association. Religiosity has recently been used as an indicator of a multivariate measure of slow Life History (LH) strategy. In this study, we predicted that LH strategy relates to increased strength of moral intuitions as measured by morally dumbfounding intuitions, reactions to violations of the ethics of autonomy, community, and divinity, and disgust sensitivity. Results of an exploratory factor analysis revealed that a 3-factor solution was optimal: (1) Religiosity (2) Moral Intuitions, (3) LH strategy. Comparisons of three path-analytic structural models indicated that only one model had an acceptable fit. In that model, slow LH strategy directly influenced religiosity and moral intuitions, which were, as a result, spuriously correlated. We discuss implications for LH theory and for the relation between religion and moral intuitions.
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Gladden et al. (2009) showed that both the strength of moral intuitions and religiosity result from a slow life-history strategy.
“Gladden et al. (2009) explored the interactions of religiosity, moral intuitions, and life-history patterns. They showed that both the strength of moral intuitions (automatic emotional reactions brought on by norm and other rule violations) and religiosity result from a slow life-history strategy.”
From Parasite-stress promotes in-group assortative sociality: The cases of strong family ties and heightened religiosity (2012) · cites this paper as Gladden et al. 2009
Religiosity and moral attitudes are correlates of slow life history strategy.
“Religiosity and moral attitudes are also correlates of slow life history strategy (e.g., Figueredo et al. 2007; Gladden et al. 2009).”
From Parasite-stress promotes in-group assortative sociality: The cases of strong family ties and heightened religiosity (2012) · cites this paper as Gladden et al. 2009
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Consilience and Life History Theory: From genes to brain to reproductive strategy
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“Selection is predicted to favor optimal resource allocations within the limits of these constraints (KAPLAN and GANGESTAD 2005; FIGUEREDO et al. 2006).”
BackgroundMethodResultInfluentialSelf-citationElevated ethnocentrism in the first trimester of pregnancy
Navarrete, C. D., Fessler, D. M. T., & Eng, S. J. (2007) · Evolution and Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2006.06.002 · Cited by 236 · see citing works
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Fincher, C. L., & Thornhill, R. (2012) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x11000021 · Cited by 526 · see citing works
- Authors
- Gladden, P. R., Welch, J., Figueredo, A. J., & Jacobs, W. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Arizona (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Evolutionary Psychology
- Publisher
- Akademiai Kiado Zrt.
- Published
- 2009-06
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 167-184
- ISSN
- 1789-2082 (ISSN-L)
- 2060-5587
- OpenAlex
- W2143131965
- Cited by
- 60
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 1.78
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Evolutionary Psychology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation
- Keywords
- moral intuitions, religiosity, life history strategies, slow life history, disgust sensitivity, ethics of autonomy, community ethics, religion and morality, spurious correlations
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