Concepts of God and Germs: Social Mechanisms and Cognitive Heuristics

Abstract Previous research has shown that the more individuals view observable entities as animate, those are associated with having psychological and physiological experiences. This study examined relationship between children's animistic anthropomorphic reasoning for concepts of unobservable scientific (i.e., germ) religious God) entities. further explored how conceptions vary according to social learning opportunities discourse, rituals) parents reportedly create. Parent–child dyads young children from diverse ethnic backgrounds participated. Three central findings emerged. First, readily God psychobiological characteristics but did not do so same extent germs. Second, applied properties both entity types when they believed was animate. Third, engaging in rituals discourse indirectly related their Overall, this presented support a connection entities, an indirect effect cultural input on reasoning. The implications these will be discussed.