title: Form and function in religious signaling under pathogen stress.
abstract: The evolution of religious traditions may be partially explained by out-group avoidance due to pathogen stress. However, many religious rituals may increase rather than decrease performers' susceptibility to infection. Moreover, religions often spread through proselytizing, which requires out-group interaction; and in other cases, the benefits of economic exchange increase religious pluralism and social interactions with out-groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-2176, USA. paul.swartwout@uconn.edu
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Swartwout
authors.forename: Benjamin Grant
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Purzycki
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sosis
mesh_terms: D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D005195:Family Relations; D006801:Humans; D010272:Parasitic Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012919:Social Behavior; D013315:Stress, Psychological