Publication details
Biased Perceptions of Costs and Benefits in Ritual Participation : Insights from the Kavadi Ceremony
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| Year of publication | 2025 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | Across cultures, people participate in demanding religious events that require a high cost in time, money, and often physical energy or pain. Drawing on cognitive theories, we hypothesize that intuitive processes coupled with social affiliation may exaggerate either the perceived costs or benefits of participation, shaping individuals’ decisions to engage or abstain. We gathered responses from approximately 400 respondents in Mauritius, focusing on the perceived benefits and costs of engaging in the Kavadi ritual, one of the exemplary cases of costly ritual practices. Their responses provide rich insights into how individuals weigh spiritual, social, and personal rewards against the physical and financial demands of ritual participation. Our analysis pays particular attention to differences in cost-benefit perceptions between in-group (Tamil) and out-group (Christian) participants, revealing how religious affiliation shapes subjective evaluations of ritual participation. By highlighting these perceptual discrepancies, the study sheds light on the broader interplay between belief systems, cognitive biases, and collective practices in human societies. |
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