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Why some coalitions benefit from historical myths more than others

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2025

Luuk L. Snijder  and
Carsten K.W. De Dreu Open the ORCID record for Carsten K.W. De Dreu [Opens in a new window]
Luuk L. Snijder
Affiliation:
Institute for Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands [email protected]
Carsten K.W. De Dreu*
Affiliation:
Faculty for Behavioral and Social Science, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands [email protected] Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center; Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany.
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

Behavioural ecologies in themselves can create variation in fitness interdependencies among individuals, and hence modulate the functionality of invoking historical myths. We develop this possibility for the case where coalitions form to attack and exploit enemies, or to defend and protect against hostile out-groups. We propose that invoking historical myths are functional and observed especially when groups aggressively expand.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 47 , 2024 , e192
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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