The effects of extreme rituals on moral behavior: The performers-observers gap hypothesis

Mitkidis, Panagiotis; Ayal, Shahar; Shalvi, Shaul; Heimann, Katrin; Levy, Gabriel; Kyselo, Miriam; Wallot, Sebastian; Ariely, Dan; Roepstorff, Andreas

doi:10.1016/j.joep.2016.12.007

Cited by 52 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…The current study also focused on individuals who had personally undergone belt promotional rituals and as such we could not compare whether similar associations would be found with observers or whether there was a 'performer-observer' gap Mitkidis et al, 2017). The current study also focused on individuals who had personally undergone belt promotional rituals and as such we could not compare whether similar associations would be found with observers or whether there was a 'performer-observer' gap Mitkidis et al, 2017).…”

Section: Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…Dimitris Xygalatas and colleagues conducted a series of field studies examining different extreme ritual events performed in Greece (Xygalatas, 2012), Spain Konvalinka et al, 2011), and Mauritius Xygalatas, Mitkidis, et al, 2013). report contrasting affective responses between observers and performers of a fire walking ritual and Mitkidis et al (2017) found that voluntary moral behaviour increased in a post-ritual period only for observers not for performers. However, other studies have also found evidence for important differences between observers and performers.…”

Section: Rituals and Group Bondingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Whitehouse and Lanman (2014) emphasise that this relationship should be stronger than that observed between high arousal rituals and categorical group identification. Addressing these outstanding issues is also intended to help identify the psychological mechanisms promoting the elevated pro-group behaviour recorded post-ritual in recent studies (Fischer, Callander, Reddish, & Bulbulia, 2013;Mitkidis et al, 2017;Xygalatas, Mitkidis, et al, 2013). Additionally, the study intends to provide novel evidence to examine recent claims that socially shared experiences of pain can enhance group bonds and progroup cooperation Olivola & Shafir, 2013) and predictions from Automatic Accrual theory (Cimino, 2011(Cimino, , 2013 concerning an association between group status and the severity of group rituals.…”

Section: Current Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Additionally, the study intends to provide novel evidence to examine recent claims that socially shared experiences of pain can enhance group bonds and progroup cooperation Olivola & Shafir, 2013) and predictions from Automatic Accrual theory (Cimino, 2011(Cimino, , 2013 concerning an association between group status and the severity of group rituals. Addressing these outstanding issues is also intended to help identify the psychological mechanisms promoting the elevated pro-group behaviour recorded post-ritual in recent studies (Fischer, Callander, Reddish, & Bulbulia, 2013;Mitkidis et al, 2017;Xygalatas, Mitkidis, et al, 2013).…”

Section: Current Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, other studies have also found evidence for important differences between observers and performers. report contrasting affective responses between observers and performers of a fire walking ritual and Mitkidis et al (2017) found that voluntary moral behaviour increased in a post-ritual period only for observers not for performers.…”

mentioning

confidence: 92%

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Positive experiences of high arousal martial arts rituals are linked to identity fusion and costly pro‐group actions

Kavanagh

Jong

McKay

et al. 2018

Euro J Social Psych

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A cross‐sectional study was conducted with 605 practitioners of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) to test the hypothesis that high arousal rituals promote social cohesion, primarily through identity fusion. BJJ promotion rituals are rare, highly emotional ritual events that often feature gruelling belt‐whipping gauntlets. We used the variation in such experiences to examine whether more gruelling rituals were associated with identity fusion and pro‐group behaviour. We found no differences between those who had undergone belt‐whipping and those who had not and no evidence of a correlation between pain and social cohesion. However, across the full sample we found that positive, but not negative, affective experiences of promotional rituals were associated with identity fusion and that this mediated pro‐group action. These findings provide new evidence concerning the social functions of collective rituals and highlight the importance of addressing the potentially diverging subjective experiences of painful rituals.

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Section: Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 88%