Ritual as resource management

Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2020 Aug 17;375(1805):20190429. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0429. Epub 2020 Jul 29.

Abstract

This paper argues that rituals are mechanisms of resource management. The argument is based on four observations: (i) over the course of hominin evolution, fitness became contingent on psychological states; (ii) these psychological states can be understood as 'resources', not unlike material resources such as energy, food or fuel; (iii) ritual 'manages' these psychological resources-meaning that it cultivates, builds and directs them; and (iv) ritual management can be analytically decomposed, providing a new descriptive tool for understanding rituals and predictions about ritual survival. This article is part of the theme issue 'Ritual renaissance: new insights into the most human of behaviours'.

Keywords: commitment; future uncertainty; goodwill; resources; ritual; social capital.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Ceremonial Behavior*
  • Humans