Behavioral and Brain Sciences

Table of Contents - April 2012 - Volume 35, Issue 02  

Open Peer Commentary

Pathogens promote matrilocal family ties and the copying of foreign religions

Lei Changa1, Hui Jing Lua1 and Bao Pei Wua1

a1 Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China. leichang@cuhk.edu.hk luhuijing@cuhk.edu.hk woobaopei@gmail.com http://www.fed.cuhk.edu.hk/eps/people/changl.html

Abstract

Within the same pathogen-stress framework as proposed by Fincher & Thornhill (F&T), we argue further that pathogen stress promotes matrilocal rather than patrilocal family ties which, in turn, slow down the process of modernity; and that pathogen stress promotes social learning or copying, including the adoption of foreign religions.

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