title: Self-control, cultural animals, and Big Gods.
abstract: As Norenzayan et al. cogently argue, religions that proliferated most successfully did so because they facilitated prosociality and cooperation in large-scale, anonymous groups. One important way that religion promotes cooperation may be through improving self-control. In this comment, we cover some potential obstacles to implementing self-control and how religion can overcome them.
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department,Florida State University,Tallahassee,FL 32306.reynolds@psy.fsu.edubaumeister@psy.fsu.eduhttp://psy.fsu.edu/faculty/baumeister.dp.html.
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department,Florida State University,Tallahassee,FL 32306.reynolds@psy.fsu.edubaumeister@psy.fsu.eduhttp://psy.fsu.edu/faculty/baumeister.dp.html.
authors.forename: Roy F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Baumeister
mesh_terms: D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D012067:Religion; D000068356:Self-Control