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Are supernatural concepts a cognitive epiphenomenon
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Sommer, Joseph J.. Are supernatural concepts a cognitive epiphenomenon. Retrieved from https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/t3-n9mz-0v16

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TitleAre supernatural concepts a cognitive epiphenomenon
NameSommer, Joseph J. (author); Hemmer, Pernille (chair); Musolino, Julien (co-chair); Kleinschmidt, Dave (internal member); Rutgers University; School of Graduate Studies
Date Created2021
Other Date2021-01 (degree)
SubjectMinimally counterintuitive concepts, Psychology
Extent1 online resource (iii, 57 pages) : illustrations
DescriptionI offer a systematic evaluation of the literature on the memorability of supernatural concepts (e.g., gods, ghosts, souls), itself part of a growing body of work in the newly-emerging cognitive science of religion (Barrett, 2000). Specifically, I focus on Boyer’s (1994, 2000, 2001) pioneering Minimally Counterintuitive (MCI) hypothesis according to which supernatural concepts tap a cognitively privileged memory-enhancing mechanism linked to violations of default intuitive inferences. My assessment reveals that the literature on the MCI hypothesis is mired in empirical contradictions and methodological shortcomings which makes it difficult to assess the validity of competing theoretical models, including the MCI hypothesis itself. In light of this fractured picture, I propose a novel and independently motivated account of the memorability of supernatural concepts. This new account is flexible enough to make sense of the heterogenous set of empirical findings in the literature and precise enough to make clear empirical predictions that differ from those of other accounts, including the MCI hypothesis. I conclude with a set of theoretical and methodological prescriptions designed to guide future research on the memorability of supernatural concepts.
NoteM.S.
NoteIncludes bibliographical references
Genretheses, ETD graduate
Persistent URLhttps://doi.org/doi:10.7282/t3-n9mz-0v16
LanguageEnglish
CollectionSchool of Graduate Studies Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organization NameRutgers, The State University of New Jersey
RightsThe author owns the copyright to this work.
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