How does the evolution of the mammalian autonomic nervous system help to explain religious prosociality?

Lenfesty, Hillary L.; Fikes, Thomas G.

doi:10.1080/2153599x.2016.1249925

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Human stress responses can even be reduced by the presence of imagined allies, or their proxies in terms of cherished objects, which can act like compensatory attachments to repair these rifts. Dogs and other animals , beliefs in spiritual beings (Lenfesty and Fikes 2017), and even treasured possessions , can act like parents or attachment figures, making us feel more secure (discussed in Chapters 6 and 7).…”

Section: Fear Stress Reactivity and Cortisolmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As adults, it is common to believe in an invisible and intangible god . Like imaginary companions, beliefs in spiritual beings often come to the fore at times of loneliness or anxiety, and comforting spiritual beings can have a significant impact on emotional wellbeing (Lenfesty and Fikes 2017). Compensatory attachments of other kinds, such as to pets or objects, come to the fore in adults in response to social isolation or loneliness .…”

Section: Compensatory Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Hidden Depths: The Origins of Human Connection

Spikins

2022

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In Hidden Depths, Professor Penny Spikins explores how our emotional connections have shaped human ancestry. Focusing on three key transitions in human origins, Professor Spikins explains how the emotional capacities of our early ancestors evolved in response to ecological changes, much like similar changes in other social mammals. For each transition, dedicated chapters examine evolutionary pressures, responses in changes in human emotional capacities and the archaeological evidence for human social behaviours. Starting from our earliest origins, in Part One, Professor Spikins explores how after two million years ago, movement of human ancestors into a new ecological niche drove new types of collaboration, including care for vulnerable members of the group. Emotional adaptations lead to cognitive changes, as new connections based on compassion, generosity, trust and inclusion also changed our relationship to material things. Part Two explores a later key transition in human emotional capacities occurring after 300,000 years ago. At this time changes in social tolerance allowed ancestors of our own species to further reach out beyond their local group and care about distant allies, making human communities resilient to environmental changes. An increasingly close relationship to animals, and even to cherished possessions, appeared at this time, and can be explained through new human vulnerabilities and ways of seeking comfort and belonging. Lastly, Part Three focuses on the contrasts in emotional dispositions arising between ourselves and our close cousins, the Neanderthals. Neanderthals are revealed as equally caring yet emotionally different humans, who might, if things had been different, have been in our place today. This new narrative breaks away from traditional views of human evolution as exceptional or as a linear progression towards a more perfect form. Instead, our evolutionary history is situated within similar processes occurring in other mammals, and explained as one in which emotions, rather than ‘intellect’, were key to our evolutionary journey. Moreover, changes in emotional capacities and dispositions are seen as part of differing pathways each bringing strengths, weaknesses and compromises. These hidden depths provide an explanation for many of the emotional sensitivities and vulnerabilities which continue to influence our world today.

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Section: Fear Stress Reactivity and Cortisolmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Compensatory Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hidden Depths: The Origins of Human Connection

Spikins

2022

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“…As adults, it is common to believe in an invisible and intangible god (Mackendrick 2012). Like imaginary companions, beliefs in spiritual beings often come to the fore at times of loneliness or anxiety, and comforting spiritual beings can have a significant impact on emotional wellbeing (Lenfesty and Fikes 2017). Compensatory attachments of other kinds, such as to pets or objects, come to the fore in adults in response to social isolation or loneliness (Niemyjska and Drat-Ruszczak 2013).…”

Section: Compensatory Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Evolutionary Basis for Human Tolerance: human ‘self-domestication’?

Spikins¹

2022

Hidden Depths: The Origins of Human Connection

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The idea that humans could be ‘self-domesticated’ is certainly rather strange and unlikely sounding, perhaps not entirely out of keeping with something we might expect to find in a science fiction novel. However, there is good evidence that changes in emotional tendencies and capacities in recent human evolution (after 300,000 years ago) followed some similar pathways to those seen in domesticated species. Furthermore, these changes are not necessarily limited to animals that have been deliberately domesticated by humans, with some of these developments also seen in bonobos, which, alongside chimpanzees, are our nearest living relatives. Though questions and debates remain about why and how these changes might have occurred, genetic and anatomical evidence, alongside changes in the archaeological record, support the notion that changes similar to domestication were occurring in humans. The concept that the evolution of human emotional tendencies and capacities may have followed similar changes in increasing tolerance seen in domestic animals is a challenging one. Rather than elevating modern humans above other animals, it would imply that some of the most crucial adaptations in our recent evolutionary past are shared with many other species. Moreover, with many traits changing under simple and single selection pressures, it contradicts any notion that human capacities are necessarily ‘adaptive’. Many of our social traits may simply be emerging alongside key changes but have no adaptive role, or even be a disadvantage. There are also added complexities. Increasing tolerance associated with self-domestication has largely been viewed as an entirely progressive development in the recent human past, opening up possibilities for more tolerant and connected communities to emerge and, in turn, enabling communities to become more resilient to resource shortfalls. However, there are costs and disadvantages to these changes in emotions, particularly at the individual level, which are rarely considered. Heightened sensitivities to social and cultural context, and hypersociability, bring increased vulnerabilities to disrupted emotional well-being in unsupportive contexts, as well as the types of challenges we associate with a certain eagerness to please. The emotional challenges that self-domestication brought may have been part of processes leading to compensatory mechanisms, such as attachment fluidity and tendencies to be driven to find additional emotional support and comfort outside of human relationships (discussed in Chapters 6 and 7).

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“…Human stress responses can even be reduced by the presence of imagined allies, or their proxies in terms of cherished objects, which can act like compensatory attachments to repair these rifts. Dogs and other animals (Kurdek 2008), beliefs in spiritual beings (Lenfesty and Fikes 2017), and even treasured possessions (Bell and Spikins 2018;Keefer, Landau, and Sullivan 2014;Keefer et al 2012), can act like parents or attachment figures, making us feel more secure (discussed in Chapters 6 and 7).…”

Section: Fear Stress Reactivity and Cortisolmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Evolutionary Basis for Human Tolerance – Physiological Responses

Spikins¹

2022

Hidden Depths: The Origins of Human Connection

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For most animals, unfamiliar members of other groups present more of a threat than an opportunity, and are best avoided or even attacked. In contrast, our attitudes are markedly different. There is no denying that we are capable of being hostile to people we do not know, particularly if we feel anxious or threatened. However, compared to other animals, we are unusually open to new relationships, and form strong bonds with individuals outside our family group. Although we tend to focus on the ‘thinking’ part of our minds, or our cognitive appraisal of social situations, our physiological responses and emotional reactions play a central role in how we build and maintain relationships. Subtle changes in ‘gut feelings’ can have an important influence on our attitudes to people around us, particularly to unfamiliar outsiders or people we have not seen for some time. An understanding of how different hormones affect social behaviour in other species, as well as in humans, provides insights into the type of changes that led to increasing human ‘friendliness’. Genetic and anatomical evidence documents subtle changes in neuroendocrine function in recent human evolution after 300,000 years ago that appear to have played an important role in increasing tolerance of unfamiliarity, and abilities to forge new external bonds. Being able to make external connections, and form new relationships based on give and take despite lengthy periods apart, seems to have been important to our success as a species. Friends in distant communities may often have been important to survival by providing resources or help that could buffer the effects of crises and resource shortfalls. We find that it is genuine emotional commitments to distant friends, rather than strategic alliances, that allow modern hunter-gatherers to survive in times of crisis. Changes in emotional dispositions towards being less aggressive and more tolerant of unfamiliar individuals might seem to be progress, but we should be cautious in thinking in these terms. Increased ‘friendliness’ is not without its disadvantages. It also brings downsides in terms of social sensitivities and emotional vulnerabilities that influence much of human behaviour.

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How does the evolution of the mammalian autonomic nervous system help to explain religious prosociality?

Cited by 4 publications

References 7 publications

Hidden Depths: The Origins of Human Connection

Hidden Depths: The Origins of Human Connection

The Evolutionary Basis for Human Tolerance: human ‘self-domestication’?

The Evolutionary Basis for Human Tolerance – Physiological Responses

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