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[The following is an exact transcript of this podcast.]
Breaking a mirror means seven years bad luck. So does spilling salt or meeting a black cat. We’ve all heard such silly-sounding superstitions. Of course why anybody would believe that stepping on a crack could break your mother’s back is a mystery. But according to an article in the Royal Society journal Biological Sciences, superstitious behaviors are a natural product of evolution.
Imagine an animal living in an environment where, over the course of a day, he might hear some rustling in the leaves or maybe in the grass. Now, movements in the grass could signal a predator attack, whereas the breeze in the trees is probably just the wind. Still, the animal has a choice: he can ignore all this rustling and go about his business, or he can run and hide.
The most logical response would be to hide only when he hears the grass move. But what if it’s hard to tell whether the noise came from the grass or the trees? “I could’ve sworn that was the trees” could be his final thought. So the animal learns to bolt at the sound of the breeze, because it could foretell certain doom. That better-safe-than-sorry attitude is essentially a superstition. One that that cautious critter will likely pass on to his young. Knock on wood.
—Karen Hopkin
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23 Comments
Add CommentThat mechanism is called agency detection - Pascal Boyer writes more about it in "Religion Explained".
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIn the same way that superstitions may have been selected for as a survival strategy, perhaps religion as a whole was as well. But religion was a survival strategy not for the individual, but for the superorganism; the tribe, town, state, nation, etc. Religious belief creates a simple and common frame of reference which can unify societies of any scale. Religion can act as a code of behaviour and thought which makes it possible for groups of people to act as a single unit rather that a cacophony of individuals, thereby increasing its ability to survive as a whole. Now that we have evolved common frames of reference that are more advanced than religion (science, secular humanism, etc.) we need to evolve beyond religion as a code of behavior, because as the religious conflicts around the world and throughout history show, religion is not functioning as a survival mechanism anymore. Humanity is in a unique position at a critical moment. We are facing a choice of whether or not we will choose to modify our behavior in order to survive. In other words, to evolve or not to evolve. I choose evolution.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWell put, cwdonoghue. Thanks for correctly broadening the point of the article to cover religion, which the article never mentions (probably to be safe).
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI see that that this article is just another way to "prove" the factuality of evolution, and it has nothing to do with science. Why is spilling the salt bad luck? Because of course, when evolutionary monkeys spilled the salt, it meant that the spilled salt would disolve the animals fur and make them into a human. In reality, this was a movement in a better direction and led the modern foolish human being into thinking that spilling the salt was bad luck. I wrote this nonsensical response, because I figured it just fit well in the context.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWell, as far as the artical concerned, superstition was developed as a defense mechanism against the unknown and feared natural world, to our ancestors, of course. It is normal for them to connect things that were hard to explain with supernatural power, espcially under the very circumstances of survival of the fittest. These superficialy explanation gradually developed into the respect to those seemingly potent "beings", such as floods, plague, as a stronger defense mechanism by manifestion of awe and reverence, as well as the later action of mimic
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe reason spilling salt is bad luck is because salt used to be more valuable than gold. Superstitions developed because of humans desire to control the behavior of others without clearly explaining why they should adopt that behavior. Don’t walk under a ladder (someone might drop something on you), don’t spill salt or break a mirror (they were both expensive during the time the superstition originated), don’t whistle back stage (early rigging systems were signaled with whistles so you might have a back drop fall on you). All of these have a desire to teach without educating.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe problem with this report is it doesn’t make it clear enough that this is the origin of superstition and that superstition itself has an evolution. The act of controlling useful behaviors eventually led to (and reinforced) useless ones. Don’t let a black cat cross your path, never say the name of the Scottish play (Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!).
The question is did this behavior lead to religion or did religion lead to this behavior?
Is this like hive behavior ? I can relate if the hive is acting out of wrong or misguided impulses. Any group , religion or association has the power to use or pervert it's insticts to destroy the invader . What if the response is wrong or the information is bogus. Examples abound such as the holocost killing fiels ext however very few people don't relaize thease same perverted survial games still go on today .
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIs this like hive behavior? We can relate to bees ant or termites. I can relate if the hive behavior as well. People acting out of wrong or misguided impulses. Or using environment cues to get me to jump at their command.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAny group, religion or association has the power to use or pervert it's instincts to destroy the invader. In this came my self vs. their ways to act or teat others.
What if the response is wrong or the information is bogus. Examples abound such as the holocaust or the killing field’s et all. However very few people don't realize these same perverted survival games still go on today and they target individuals. Like a bully teasing a weaker person by making a weaker person lash out and thus having the illusion of control but also protect their associations right to control a individual.
Superstition is a raw material for the religion. If one threat is repeated, religion ritualizes it and in doing so maintain the awe while retire the fear of that threat. In literature, the writer Franz Kafka created a figure of the appearance of a tiger that for the first time cause fear, but if it comes back happen, religion turns that appearance into a ritual. Religion is some times our protection against the super imposition of superstition. Has fear of unusual things? All types of charms and sacred objects are available for your protection. In the absence of knowledge and science, religion can be useful against things merely insinuated& About the reference to evolution I think that is preferable believe that the rustle of the tree leaves hints peril than become prey of a predator, and that this trace of conduct be prevalent in the next generation. Repeated errors are preferable but our necks to safe!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisOur future evolution (see cwdonoghue's comment) will be of conciousness rather than matter!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWell actually, an animal's reaction to sound depends on his environment and instinct. Animals have the choice to either hide, ignore, or even inspect the area. Variable sounds are alarming when they are first heard. This is relative to that "change in the wind" which you speak of. Variable sounds cause animals to question their surroundings. They question if they're endangered or simply distracted. Distractions can be repetitive and annoying. If the sound is repetitious, the animal is likely to ignore it. If the sound becomes annoying, the animal might inspect it. An animal's environment can also change its instinct. This may depend on the animal's habitat . Compare a pet to a wild animal. The difference is that one is tamed and the other is not. I wouldn't believe in any of the fore-mentioned superstitions (because they do sound silly), nor would I say that superstition is evolutionary. Superstitions establish limits and invokes the imagination. But every case does not apply for everything. It's just knowing the definition of a good environment, and/or acting to
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thiskeep it that way.
Well actually, an animal's reaction to sound depends on his environment and instinct. Animals have the choice to either hide, ignore, or even inspect the area. Variable sounds are alarming when they are first heard. This is relative to that "change in the wind" which you speak of. Variable sounds cause animals to question their surroundings. They question if they're endangered or simply distracted. Distractions can be repetitive and annoying. If the sound is repetitious, the animal is likely to ignore it. If the sound becomes annoying, the animal might inspect it. An animal's environment can also change its instinct. This may depend on the animal's habitat . Compare a pet to a wild animal. The difference is that one is tamed and the other is not. I wouldn't believe in any of the fore-mentioned superstitions (because they do sound silly), nor would I say that superstition is evolutionary. Superstitions establish limits and invokes the imagination. But every case does not apply for everything. It's just knowing the definition of a good environment, and/or acting to
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thiskeep it that way.
Well actually, an animal's reaction to sound depends on his environment and instinct. Animals have the choice to either hide, ignore, or even inspect the area. Variable sounds are alarming when they are first heard. This is relative to that "change in the wind" which you speak of. Variable sounds cause animals to question their surroundings. They question if they're endangered or simply distracted. Distractions can be repetitive and annoying. If the sound is repetitious, the animal is likely to ignore it. If the sound becomes annoying, the animal might inspect it. An animal's environment can also change its instinct. This may depend on the animal's habitat . Compare a pet to a wild animal. The difference is that one is tamed and the other is not. I wouldn't believe in any of the fore-mentioned superstitions (because they do sound silly), nor would I say that superstition is evolutionary. Superstitions establish limits and invokes the imagination. But every case does not apply for everything. It's just knowing the definition of a good environment, and/or acting to
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thiskeep it that way.
Well actually, an animal's reaction to sound depends on his environment and instinct. Animals have the choice to either hide, ignore, or even inspect the area. Variable sounds are alarming when they are first heard. This is relative to that "change in the wind" which you speak of. Variable sounds cause animals to question their surroundings. They question if they're endangered or simply distracted. Distractions can be repetitive and annoying. If the sound is repetitious, the animal is likely to ignore it. If the sound becomes annoying, the animal might inspect it. An animal's environment can also change its instinct. This may depend on the animal's habitat . Compare a pet to a wild animal. The difference is that one is tamed and the other is not. I wouldn't believe in any of the fore-mentioned superstitions (because they do sound silly), nor would I say that superstition is evolutionary. Superstitions establish limits and invokes the imagination. But every case does not apply for everything. It's just knowing the definition of a good environment, and/or acting to
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thiskeep it that way.
Well actually, an animal's reaction to sound depends on his environment and instinct. Animals have the choice to either hide, ignore, or even inspect the area. Variable sounds are alarming when they are first heard. This is relative to that "change in the wind" which you speak of. Variable sounds cause animals to question their surroundings. They question if they're endangered or simply distracted. Distractions can be repetitive and annoying. If the sound is repetitious, the animal is likely to ignore it. If the sound becomes annoying, the animal might inspect it. An animal's environment can also change its instinct. This may depend on the animal's habitat . Compare a pet to a wild animal. The difference is that one is tamed and the other is not. I wouldn't believe in any of the fore-mentioned superstitions (because they do sound silly), nor would I say that superstition is evolutionary. Superstitions establish limits and invokes the imagination. But every case does not apply for everything. It's just knowing the definition of a good environment, and/or acting to
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thiskeep it that way.
EVOLUTIONARY MYTHS
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this"So the animal learns to bolt at the sound of the breeze, because it could foretell certain doom."
The probability for the animal encountering breeze is so high that equating breeze to doom would cause the animal to be more fragile. For if the animal could flee because of mere breeze, what would happen when facing the real predator is that the animal would be freezed with fear.
Educatorman, I have this to say to you: Modern religion is a tool to control you, and thereby hasten the rapture. Modern religion spews rules for you to follow and tells you that you could not understand the reasoning of GOD.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisOutside of the ten commandments, all the other rules put forth by the church are destructive.
These rules are man made if even by repetition. They are made to:
1. Overpopulate the earth
2. Divide the populace
3. Strip humanity of it's decency
These things will precipitate the "end" PROPHESY
Why are there no rules about how to treat our Eden?
Why don't religious fanatics try to save the earth from pollution and abuse?
God is not behind religion PEOPLE are and we all fail to do the idea of God any justice at all.
Priests rape kids
Clerics make calls for war
Why would God make it so unclear as to our origins?
Another evolutionary fairy tale! Who's evolving here?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisRECOGNIZING WE NEED OUR CREATOR
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisDivine mysteries are eventually explained at the appointed time. This helps humans to view revealed sacred secrets as precious truths.
unnnn
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisOverpopulation is a sure probability; considering whether or not it is God's intention. But division isn't any more a desire for religion, than it is for anyone else. Division was created by man to establish a median between the classes. Also, many religions practice purity and righteousness; though any form of decency can have different meanings, according to personal favor. As you said before: it's the "people". It's not specifically religion, science, race, or any other form of group. And God is definitely not responsible for the acts of stupid people. The truth is already laid out. But some "jokers" keep fooling with people's minds.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe article states, "...the animal learns to bolt at the sound of the breeze, because it could foretell certain doom. That better-safe-than-sorry attitude is essentially a superstition. One that that cautious critter will likely pass on to his young."
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHowever, this ignores the other side of the evolutionary coin. When resources become scarce, the animal that will survive is the one that is able to tell the difference between rustling leaves (stay and eat) or rustling grass (get the flock out of Dodge). Those animals (let's call them the Scientists) are the ones who will thrive when the pickings are slim. The superstitious ones (let's call them the Believers) will flee at every noise, and eventually starve to death because they couldn't figure out when it was safe to stick around and finish their meal.
Superstitions must have helped on our evolution. Looked at our most probable situation on certain timeline of human evolution. At some early stage in time, our ancestor are nocturnal, tree dwelling, and herbivorous. How we, through millions of years survived to be omnivour or carnivore, from primitive brain to more capable brain, begs for an answer. Superstition must have ensured we developed enough capabilities to survive on each critical steps of transformation. Otherwise, earlier we would have been eaten to extinction by greater higher rank predator.
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