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&& SSoocciieettyy Spring 2010 Newsletter of the ASA Section on , & Society Volume 6, No. 2

Chair In this issue: 2009-2010 Essays by Robert Wilkes, David Franks Stephen Sanderson, UC-Riverside & William Wentworth Book Review: Lenski’s Ecological- Past Chair Evolutionary Theory: Principles and 2008-2009 Applications by Frans Kerstholt Rosemary L. Hopcroft, UNC-Charlotte Didactic Seminar on Neurosociology to be held at ASA in Atlanta, 2010 Chair-Elect New publications of Section 2010-2011 Members Jeremy Freese, Northwestern University ASA Sessions

Secretary-Treasurer 2004-2010 Message from the Chair: Michael Hammond, University of

Toronto The Exploding Evolutionary Analysis of Religion Council Members Alan Booth, Penn State University Stephen K. Sanderson (2009-2012) UC-Riverside Christine Horne, Washington State University (2008-2011) In 2007 I attended a conference in Hawaii Richard Machalek, University of on the evolution of religion. It was really Wyoming something. About 50 people gave (2009-2012) presentations and total attendance was about Alexander Lascaux, University of 100. The participants came from a variety of Hertfordshire, UK fields, in particular cognitive psychology, (2004-2010) anthropology, and religious studies (I was the J. Scott Lewis, Penn State—Harrisburg only sociologist). I only found out about this (2004-2010) conference two weeks before it began, and that was by happenstance. I had just finished Patrick Nolan, University of South the first draft of a paper using evolutionary Carolina (2008-2011) theories to explain the emergence of the world Newsletter editor and Webperson transcendent religions during the so-called Rosemary L. Hopcroft, UNC-Charlotte Axial Age, and I wanted to try my ideas out on www2.asanet.org/sectionevol/ this audience. Many of the participants in the conference were well-known students of religion, some of

Evolution, Biology and Society Vol. 7, No. 1 Spring 2010 - 2 – whose works I had read. However, what I form a strong bond with its parents, its mother hadn’t been prepared for was the realization of in particular, because parents are needed for the very large amount of work that was being nurturance and protection in an ancestral done on this subject. The word “evolution” in environment filled with a wide range of the conference’s title had the same basic dangers. For Kirkpatrick, many religious meaning that it does in our section, that is, it notions are extensions or generalizations of the referred to both biological and social evolution. parent-child bond. Supernatural agents are A lot of the participants were seeking to seen as protectors from harm in much the way understand the cognitive structures in the brain that parents are. God becomes a haven of that underlie religious concepts and rituals. safety and a secure base. Kirkpatrick stresses This was part of my concern, although I was that God or gods are primarily substitute linking brain structures to the social evolution attachment figures for natural attachment of religion as well. So I left the conference with figures, i.e, for fathers, mothers, and other the knowledge that there was a considerable close kin. The feeling of a relationship with God amount of work going on by a wide range of or gods is most likely to be activated when an scholars. I was soon to discover that there was individual’s sense of security, safety, and in fact more – much more. I find this work freedom from anxiety falls below a certain exciting and would like to use this message to threshold as a result of natural attachments convey some of the ideas that are being being inadequate to life’s challenges. developed. There are also adaptationist theories of Two of the major scholars in this area are religion, such as that developed by the Pascal Boyer (2001; Lienard and Boyer, 2006) anthropologist Richard Sosis and his student and Scott Atran (2002; Atran and Norenzayan, Candace Alcorta (Sosis, 2003; Alcorta and 2004). Both are anthropologists who have Sosis, 2005). Alcorta and Sosis agree with the imported a great deal of cognitive psychology by-product theorists that there is no specifically into their work. Boyer and Atran are what are religious module in the brain. Religion has known as by-product theorists. They contend indeed been hitching a ride on other cognitive that religious concepts are not evolutionary mechanisms. However, for them these adaptations, but rather side-effects or by- mechanisms are not agency detection, but products of other cognitive structures that are rather ritualized communication. The capacity themselves adaptations. Religious concepts for ritualized communication is an evolved are extensions of certain of the brain’s adaptation in humans and in many other cognitive biases. The basic idea is that the animal species, but the specifically religious supernatural entities that religions postulate nature of rituals is uniquely human (Alcorta and are for the most part structured by our natural Sosis, 2006). Ritualized communication is intuitions concerning agency. Humans have adaptive because it enhances group cognitive adaptations for agency in the sense cooperation, and this in turn has individual that they recognize that persons and animals fitness benefits. have goals and use various means to attain Since Alcorta and Sosis do not envision the them. And humans have a very strong brain as having any specifically religious tendency to extend their natural intuitions architecture, their adaptationism might be about agency beyond persons and animals to regarded as something of a halfway point many features of nature, such as the sun, between the by-product theorists and other moon, or wind. They seem to have a bias to adaptationists, who do invoke a “religious assume that, if the wind blows, it is because neuroanatomy and neurophysiology.” Harris there is some agent that is causing it to blow, and McNamara (2007) are adaptationists in and to blow for some reason or purpose. this sense. They point to research showing that A slightly different evolutionary theory (also religiosity appears to be moderately to highly a by-product theory) has been suggested by heritable (they suggest a heritability coefficient Lee Kirkpatrick (2005), who draws on John of .28 to .72); to neuroimaging studies Bowlby’s classic attachment theory. Bowlby indicating that parts of the brain with a large contended that the human infant is primed to number of dopamine receptors, especially the

Evolution, Biology and Society Vol. 7, No. 1 Spring 2010 - 3 – prefrontal cortex, seem to be associated with Atran, Scott. 2002. In Gods We Trust: The religious experience; and to pharmacological Evolutionary Landscape of Religion. New studies showing that the DRD4 gene correlates York: Oxford University Press. positively with different measures of religiosity. _____, and Ara Norenzayan. 2004. “Religion’s Brain neurochemistry is also invoked in the evolutionary landscape: Counterintuition, adaptationist positions of Michael Winkelman commitment, compassion, communion.” (1990, 2000) and James McClenon (2002), Behavioral and Brain Sciences 27:713- who specialize in the study of shamanism. 770. According to Winkelman, shamans have been Boyer, Pascal. 2001. Religion Explained: The found throughout the world and are universal in Evolutionary Origins of Religious Thought. hunter-gatherer societies. The shaman New York: Basic Books. performs a variety of activities: healing and Harris, Erica, and Patrick McNamara. 2007. “Is curing illness, divination, protecting and finding religiousness a biocultural adaptation?” In game animals, communicating with the dead, Joseph Bulbulia, Richard Sosis, Russ recovering lost souls, and protecting people Genet, Erica Harris, Karen Wyman, and from evil spirits and the practitioners of Cheryl Genet, eds., The Evolution of malevolent magic. Winkelman contends that Religion: Studies, Theories, and Critiques. the striking similarities among shamanistic Santa Margarita, CA: Collins Foundation practices all over the world suggests that they Press. derive from neurophenomenological structures, Kirkpatrick, Lee A. 2005. Attachment, and that these structures constitute the Evolution, and the Psychology of Religion. primordial basis for religion. McClenon points New York: Guilford Press. out that shamanic healing rituals typically Liénard, Pierre, and Pascal Boyer. 2006. involve a great deal of rhythmic repetition, “Whence collective rituals? A cultural especially chanting, singing, drumming and selection model of ritualized behavior.” dancing, which are able to induce altered American Anthropologist 108:814-27. states of consciousness and “anomalous McClenon. 2002. Wondrous Healing: experiences.” Such altered states are adaptive Shamanism, Human Evolution, and the because they can produce high levels of Origin of Religion. DeKalb: Northern Illinois relaxation and benefits for physical and University Press. psychological health. Sosis, Richard. 2003. “Why aren’t we all This represents only a small portion of the Hutterites? Costly signaling theory and evolutionary work now being done on religion, religious behavior.” Human Nature 14:91- but I stop here because space is short. I will 127. simply end by saying that a limitation of these _____, and Candace Alcorta. 2004. “Is religion evolutionary works is that there is usually not adaptive?” Behavioral and Brain Sciences much discussion of the socioecological context 27:749-750. in which certain kinds of religious ideas Winkelman, Michael James. 1990. “Shamans develop. But here is where (and our and other ‘magico-religious’ healers: A sister discipline anthropology) has much to cross-cultural study of their origins, nature, contribute. Linking evolutionary analysis to and social transformations.” Ethos 18:308- historical, sociological, and anthropological 352. knowledge represents a real challenge for the _____. 2000. Shamanism: The Neural Ecology future. of Consciousness and Healing. Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey. References Alcorta, Candace S., and Richard Sosis. 2005. “Ritual emotion, and sacred symbols: The evolution of religion as an adaptive complex.” Human Nature 16:323-359. ******

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Evolutionary science’s house that Ruth built’ (the old Yankee lonely hall of fame Stadium). This point, however, seems lost on the Robert McKinnon Wilkes commentators, popularizers, and detractors of Washington State University evolutionary science who relentlessly attach a single name – the great – to all The name Charles Darwin can be found things evolutionary. What’s this? It’s attached to most contemporary mentions of remarkable to consider the possibility that there developments in the fields of evolutionary could be more champion devotion within the science. Such Darwin recognition was perfect rewards system of science than in the sport of baseball. for ‘Darwin’s Year 2009.’ Now that it is 2010 th perhaps we should reassess the functionality I reflect on the 150 anniversary of On of Darwin’s overwhelming presence in the Origin of Species (Darwin, 1859) not with a discourse regarding evolutionary ideas. Let’s desire to worship a solitary intellectual hero. consider an analogy provided by looking to an Rather, I hold in high regard the acquisition by example from the conclusion of the Major the collective stocks of scientific knowledge an League Baseball season of 2009. enormously powerful theory that has proved its Some baseball players have capability – through copious theoretical and accomplished more than others and baseball empirical applications – for accounting for the has a hall of fame to honor the elites’ diversity of life on earth. accomplishments. But the structure of the Had Darwin’s work gone unpublished, I game of baseball is not defined or known suggest, we would still find the present through traits of individual players – not even moment in history offering a century-and-a-half the legendary players have so much recognition of the amazing ideas of dominance in the language or attention of fans evolutionary theory. The only difference would who diligently follow the latest results in the be the name(s) to which we attach the sports page or watch live games. For instance, accolades. In fact, Darwin’s publication rushed fans don’t refer to baseball as “Babe Ruth’s to the presses when it did because of the risk game,” and they don’t call the New York of priority dispute claims with a competing Yankees “Ruth’s team.” When the Yankees author whose name American students are won the World Series in 2009, commentators perhaps never introduced or have long didn’t constantly remind spectators of the forgotten (Ogburn & Thomas, 1922; Merton, accomplishments of Babe Ruth as if he were 1957, 1961, 1985[1965]). The social, political, single-handedly responsible for building the economic, and intellectual contexts that whole game of baseball or even the more surrounded Darwin were primed for the modest accomplishment of building the discovery of the themes Darwin so eloquently Yankees. Constant mentions about the described in his brilliant book. The religious greatness of Babe Ruth every other sentence context, however, was not prepared. by the World Series’09 announcers would have Surprisingly, 150 years later vocal anti- been unnecessary, distracting, and disruptive evolutionary segments of religious communities to the utility of play-by-play commentary of live remain unprepared to embrace the substance announcers. Instead, most commentary was of evolutionary theory (see, for example, Ham, directed towards mentions of current players 2000[1987]; Ham & Mortenson, 2007; Mason, on the teams. “Rodriguez is up to bat,” 2007a, 2007b; Stein, 2008; Comfort, 2009). “Shortstop Jeter makes the catch,” “Pitcher Opponents of evolution have embraced the Rivera ends the inning and completes the 2009 hero worship of Darwin to advance their save,” for instance. Announcers had no need own ends. Quite simply, by attaching to constantly invoke the accomplishments of evolutionary theory to a single individual, Babe Ruth, however glorious they were, to opponents of evolution symbolically redefine comment on the live action of the 2009 World evolution as if it were a product of a person’s Series – which was not, by the way, held in ‘the mind rather than the product of a self- accumulating scientific culture.

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Science has its hall of fame, but McIntyre, Lisa J. (2008). The Practical Skeptic: providing glowing reverence for individuals is Core Concepts in Sociology (4th ed.). not the business of science (Conner, 2005). Boston: McGraw-Hill. Idolizing individuals detracts attention from the Merton, Robert King. (1957). Priorities in massive accumulation of contributions made scientific discovery: A chapter in the by the intellectual descendants, many of whom sociology of science. American are working today. Darwin deserved Sociological Review, 22(6), 635-659. recognition 150 years after his pioneering Merton, Robert King. (1961). Singletons and contribution, and indeed the year 2009 saw multiples in scientific discovery: A Darwin’s intellectual descendants, fans, as well chapter in the sociology of science. as his adversaries diligently provide this Proceedings of the American attention. I worry that as we embark 2010, Philosophical Society, 105(5), 470-486. however, that the accolades awarded to one Merton, Robert King. (1968). The Matthew pioneering evolutionary theorist will continue to effect in science. Science, 159(3810), overshadow the living legacy provided by the 56-63. vast majority of evolutionary scholars. Merton, Robert King. (1985[1965]). On The Shoulders of Giants. New York: The Sources relevant to the shaping of this letter Free Press. Miller, Jon D., Kimmel, Linda, & ORC Macro. Allen, Michael Patrick, & Parsons, Nicholas L. (2004). National Science Foundation (2006). The institutionalization of fame: Surveys of Public Attitudes Toward and Achievement, recognition, and cultural Understanding of Science and consecration in baseball. American Technology, United States, 1979-2001, Sociological Review, 71(5), 808-825. ICPSR # 4029. Tallahassee, FL.: Florida Comfort, Ray. (2009). The Charles Darwin State University: Ann Arbor, MI.: Inter- Bible: New Testament 200th Birthday University Consortium for Political and Edition. Nashville: Holman Bible Social Research (ICPSR). Publishers. Miller, Jon D., Scott, Eugenie C., & Okamoto, Conner, Clifford D. (2005). A People's History Shinji. (2006). Public acceptance of of Science: Miners, Midwives, and 'Low evolution. Science, 313, 765-766. Mechanicks'. New York: Nation Books. Nolan, Patrick, & Lenski, Gerhard. (1999). Darwin, Charles. (1859). On the Origin of Human Societies: An Introduction to Species by Means of Natural Selection. Macrosociology (8th ed.). New York: London: John Murray. McGraw-Hill College. Gould, Stephen Jay. (1996). Full House: The Ogburn, William F, & Thomas, Dorothy. (1922). Spread of Excellence from Plato to Are inventions inevitable? A note on Darwin. New York: Three Rivers Press. social evolution. Political Science Ham, Ken. (2000[1987]). The Lie: Evolution: Quarterly, 37(1), 83-98. Master Books. Stein, Ben. (2008). Expelled: No Intelligence Ham, Ken, & Mortenson, Terry. (2007). Allowed. United States: Premise Media Science or the Bible? Answers: Building Corporation. a Biblical Worldview, 2(3), 23-26. Wilkes, Robert McKinnon. (2008). The Hessen, Boris. (1971[1931]). The Social and Structural and External Forces in the Economic Roots of Newton's 'Principia' Evolution of Science Disciplines. (R. S. Cohen, Trans.). New York: Master's Thesis. Washington State Howard Fertig. University, Pullman. Mason, Dale. (2007a). Answers: Building A Biblical Worldview, 2. Mason, Dale. (2007b). Evolution exposed – one student at a time. Answers Magazine Update, 14(8), 1-2.

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Review of Gerhard Lenski, functionalism, which is in terms of ‘functional Ecological-Evolutionary Theory: importance’, that is roughly the use to society irrespective of the power structure. Principles and Applications, I must add a major element in Lenski’s Paradigm Publishers, Boulder. theory of the functioning and evolution of London, 2005 human societies. That is his view of human nature: we are beings at the same time able to Frans Kerstholt conflict and capable of cooperation. We act on Tilburg University ‘enlightened self-interest’. These two discoveries and the view of Lenski wrote two great books. His Power and human nature still form the centerpiece of Privilege (1966) was a courageous goodbye to Lenski’s second great book, which is under the then dominant currents in American review here. The main theoretical difference is sociology, i.e. to functionalism that was macro that Lenski explicitly locates his theory in the but not testable, and a variety of descriptive context of the biological evolution of our kind. and subjectively impressionistic trends that The 1966 book does not contain references to were not macro and did not aim at conducting for instance primates, natural selection or tests. For his work on social inequality he genetics. turned to reliable information, which he found This has completely changed in the 2005 in archaeology and anthropology. This led to book. Human nature is explained as a result of two major discoveries. our descent from pre-human primates that we 1. Types of societies are best distinguished by share a lot of characteristics, though not all, their distinctive subsistence technologies, with. The general model of the evolution of which rather well predict their other main societies is also borrowed from a central characteristics: population (size), social insight in biology: every evolutionary outcome organization and ideology. The distinguished is the result of the combined working of types are: societies of ‘hunters and gatherers’, ‘environmental forces’ and ‘a population’s horticultural societies, agrarian societies and genetic make-up’ on ‘phenotypic properties’ (p. ‘industrial societies’. These type do not only 36). differ in technology but also show a directional Lenski substitutes for genetic make-up trend towards ever more complexity, e.g. in ‘genotypic properties of human populations: their occupational and political structures. their gene pool and the information it contains’. 2. The other major discovery is a trend and its He differentiates the environmental forces into reversal in social inequality. Social inequality two categories: ‘the biophysical environment’ increases from hunters and gatherers, through and ‘the sociocultural environment’. In Lenski’s horticultural societies until it reaches enormous scheme the phenotypic properties are filled in proportions in agrarian societies. The trend is with the central sociological variables that were reversed some time after the onset of the mentioned above: Technology, population, industrializing process. His fundamental social organization and ideology. (p. 76) explanation is in terms of the power structure The book contains a convincing empirical test characteristic of the different societal types and of the hypothesis that subsistence technology the degree to which different classes were is the most important factor, though not the mutually dependent, i.e. is able to restrict their only and all-determining, in societal evolution. freedom of action, on each other. In societies Lenski present his theory as probabilistic in of ‘hunters and gatherers’ everybody was contrast to being deterministic. In addition and needed; in industrial societies well educated not surprisingly the 2005 book contains a lot of middle classes and skilled workers were in a updating information. position to demand a considerable part of the The second part of the book presents four pie. applications that are meant to demonstrate the Though this might not be immediately clear relevance of Lenski’s evolutionary-ecological to every reader, this explanation differs theory to important explanatory problems, both significantly from the explanation of historic and more recent ones: the origins and

Evolution, Biology and Society Vol. 7, No. 1 Spring 2010 - 7 – early development of Ancient Israel; the rise of to Europe after the discovery of the Americas. the West; trajectories of development among This explanation begs the question why the societies (with Patrick Nolan); and an rise of the West and industrialisation did not experiment that failed (the Soviet-Marxist start in Spain, the main discovering country, experiment). but in parts of Western Europe. On the basis of extensive literature Ancient Israel research and econometric analysis Acemoglu and colleagues (2005) have proposed a The chapter about Ancient Israel is a nice convincing alternative. The discovery of the example of some general qualities of Americas and the subsequent emergence of evolutionary-ecological theory. Thanks to his Atlantic trade play a major role in their cooperation with a number of biblical scholars explanation. In contrast, the influx of precious and using insights from evolutionary-ecological metals does not figure at all, which in itself theory Lenski successfully challenges a removes the why not Spain and Portugal riddle number of explanatory models proposed by to a large extent. biblical scholars. He refutes the model of Acemoglu and colleagues show that the military conquest, the model of ‘nomadic growth of ‘nations with access to the Atlantic’ conquest’ on the grounds of the absence of and the ‘growth of Atlantic ports’ explain the archaeological evidence. He also challenge the differences in growth between Western Europe so-called ‘peasant revolt’ model that he and Eastern Europe (p. 572). appreciates for its social scientific inspirations. England and the Dutch Republic were the Though Lenski acknowledges that peasant first winners in the contest for the highly revolts are frequent in agrarian societies, the profitable Atlantic trade. They had strong and purported success in the case of Israel would independent commercial bourgeoisies which have made it “unique and without parallel in all were able to successfully challenge the the long history of the agrarian era.”(p. 153) aspirations of their rulers to establish absolutist The theory’s lack of supportive evidence is regimes (563-567). then sufficient to reject it. Spain and Portugal, in contrast, were It is clear that without his knowledge of strongly absolutist countries with the monarchy evolutionary-ecological theory Lenski would not controlling international trade by grants of trade have been able to reject the theories referred monopolies. The inefficiencies of this system to above. explain the lack of success of these countries Lenski then proposes a ‘frontier society’ (567-568). model, which, applying general knowledge of The authors acknowledge the results frontier societies, explains the egalitarian economic historical research that the volume character of the oldest Israel. That Israel later and the profits of Atlantic trade were not turned into a highly hierarchical society is in sufficient to explain the further rise of Europe line with the knowledge of frontier societies. towards the Industrial revolution. This was That’s normal after the frontiers get closed. made possible by the fact that the commercial The chapter contains a very interesting elites of England and the Dutch republic took speculation on the backgrounds to the special over political power and improved their position in Israeli society of the Levites. countries scores on the central growth promoting variables that emerged from The Rise of the West econometric analyses: ‘limits to the power of the executive’, and ‘protection of property The chapter on the rise of the West is an rights’. (See next section) unintentional illustration of the fact that Interestingly, this research can also be read evolutionary-ecological theory or rather specific as a test of a number of traditional social theories can be refuted. scientific explanations. The researchers include The almost monetary explanation that is variables as (Protestant) religion (Weber, proposed is predicated on the evolutionary Landes), the Roman heritage (Anderson, significance of the influx of the precious metals Jones), the incidence of wars (Kennedy, Tilly)

Evolution, Biology and Society Vol. 7, No. 1 Spring 2010 - 8 – and distance to equator in their regression The results of Acemoglu and colleagues do not (Sachs) to see in many cases significant but really refute the explanation of Lenski and very small effects. Nolan. But my guess is that - for reasons that still have to be explored - industrialising Industrialising horticultural societies versus agrarian societies score better on the Industrialising agrarian societies Acemoglu variables than industrialising horticultural societies do. The chapter on trajectories of development among societies is an update of a paper from The failure of Marxist societies 1984. In line with evolutionary-ecological theory it distinguishes two kinds of post-colonial The failure of the communist societies is countries: industrialising horticultural societies, correctly explained on the basis the ideological and industrialising agrarian societies. misperception of the self-seeking parts of It is hypothesised that the latter do better in human nature. When given an opportunity terms of indices of development. The most of us follow our own interest, also at the hypothesis is empirically strongly supported expense of the collective good. Soviet type and does much better than its prominent rival societies provided many incentives for pursuing back in those days, i.e. world system theory. ‘private’ interests, even if it only consisted in When I read the paper 25 years ago I was just going through the motions. In addition the convinced. I now have some objections. I political elite also developed strong incentive to wonder why initial GDP per capita was not stick to its power. The consequence: contrary taken as an obvious explanatory alternative. I to Marxist predictions the state did not wither suspect that it would have been a less easily to away. beat rival than world system theory. From the foregoing two conclusions can be My main doubt is based on recent results in drawn: econometric and theoretical research into the 1. The evolutionary-ecological research determinants of post-colonial development and strategy is very successful, but specific economic growth. Daron Acemoglu deserves theories can be refuted. Both characteristics to be mentioned here as the main protagonist. mentioned in the previous sentence are He discovered the so-called ‘reversal of strengths of the approach. fortune’ phenomenon. Areas with the worst 2. A particularly strength of evolutionary- institutions before the colonial age, performed ecological theory is that it compels “to take best after that period, i.e. about 350 years seriously certain important aspects of the later. He explains that from the different human condition that other theories allow one colonising styles – if that word is permitted- in to neglect or even to ignore.” (p. 223) This the distinguished areas. Where the spotting of omitted variables potential is very circumstances were bad, the colonialists clear in the discussions of Ancient Israel and of developed institutions themselves. the failure of communist experiments. Where they found better conditions they just specialised in extraction, exploitation and A final recommendation oppression. In these regions the post-colonial elites just took over the positions of the colonial Reading this book can very well be combined elites, and continued the oppression etc. with the study of two other books: In short, differences in colonial institutions Robert Boyd and Joan B. Silk: How Humans explain the ‘reversal of fortune’. The next Evolved, W.W. Norton & Company, New York . question that Acemoglu and colleagues asked London, 5th edition, 2009 concerns whether and if so which differences Robert Cliquet, Biosocial Interactions in in institutions explain the postcolonial growth Modernisation, Brno, 2010 (forthcoming) performance. Econometric analyses identified two central favourable variables: ‘limits to the power of the executive’, and ‘protection of property rights’.

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References Four Types of Creativity

Daron Acemoglu and others, The An important guide for this research is that Colonial Origins of Comparative Development: creativity, or innovation in thinking and the arts An Empirical Investigation, American Economic is dependent on emotional as well as cognitive Review, 91, pp. 1369-1401, 2001 aspects of the brain. According to Dietrich Daron Acemoglu and others, The Rise there are four types of creativity. First, the of Europe: Atlantic Trade, Institutional Change, deliberate conscious mode is produced by (1.) and Economic Growth, American Economic conscious cognitive brain structures and (2.) Review, 95, pp. 546-579, 2005 emotional brain structures--- emotional Gerhard Lenski, Ecological-Evolutionary because they extract what is most valued as a Theory: Principles and Applications, Paradigm means to completing one’s purposes. The Publishers, Boulder & London, 2005 deliberate mode of creativity involves the amount of knowledge necessary for creative ****** achievements if such is required. In contrast, the emotional brain systems needed for creativity are largely dependent on the so- The Social, Brains and Creativity called “limbic” structures and are especially apropos for the arts including music. However, David Franks and William Wentworth they also include the cingulate cortex and ventro-medial prefrontal lobes as Damasio David Franks and William Wentworth are (1994) found with his patients traumatized in collaborating on a study of brain dynamics and this area where emotions and rationality mix. social aspects of Creativity. Much of what Regardless of their high IQ on written tests follows is taken from Arne Dietrich’s 2004 they could not apply this to real life social summary “ The Cognitive Neuroscience of situations in the form of emotional intelligence. Creativity” in Psychosomatic Bulletin and The last two spontaneous structures Review 11 (6) 1011-1026. arealsodivided into the (3.) cognitive and (4.) An important guide for this research is that the emotional. The former is illustrated by creativity, or innovation in thinking and the arts insight or being “hit” with a spontaneous, is dependent on emotional as well as cognitive “formal” idea (like mathematics). The latter aspects of the brain. At least three social emotional process is often produced by dimensions are seen as inherent in creativity. emotional shock. One of the authors of this First, novelty is not just the production of new piece had an important cognitive insight come cognitions and expressions, but it also must be as a spontaneous flash after seeing a woman seen by others in one’s network of “significant knocked up in the air by a car. others” as appropriate and useful. Social Insight is a necessary but not sufficient labeling is then, inherent in the complete enabler for creativity because the latter must process of creativity. The schizophrenic’s be translated into action and made public. hallucinations are novel even if they too, are influenced by shared cultural ideas. But to be Anatomical Brain Supports creative they must be seen so and judged useful by others sharing the meaning of their According to Dietrich, creativity is manifest words. Finally, creative thinking is seen as in the same neural circuits that generate contingent on the social situation. The normal information. Like emotion creativity is divergent thinking inherent in creativity then not dependent on one area of the brain. must be qualified by social phenomena. Creativity requires a working memory, sustained flexibility and cognitive judgments of relevancy and social appropriateness. These capacities are dependent on the prefrontal lobes enabling short-term memory in

Evolution, Biology and Society Vol. 7, No. 1 Spring 2010 - 10 – situations. Situated learning without Wentworth will take the lead in a more critical remembering it is an oxymoron. essay on these ideas. The prefrontal lobes: Unconscious, and thus, spontaneous creativity needs working References memory which happens to activate the motor behavior involved in doing some thing novel. Antonio Damasio. (1994). Descarte’s Error. This is especially important in the New York: Avon. implementation of creative insights and/or acts. Arne Dietrich. (2003). The cognitive science of As important as the prefrontal lobes are to creativity. Psychosomatic Bulletin and creativity, the knowledge necessary for novelty Review. 11(6), 1011-1026 takes different parts of the brain. First, knowledge is stored in what is called the so- Thomas Kuhn. (1970).The Structure of called “TOP” areas which include the temporal, nd Scientific Revolutions. (2 .ed). Chicago: occipital and the parietal areas. The dorso- University of Chicago Press). lateral area of the prefrontal lobe integrates information involved in more complex William WentworthandJ.Ryan(1994). behaviors such a social functioning and Introduction. In W.Wentworth and J. Ryan, abstract notions. Secondly, the prefrontal lobes Social perspectives on Emotion. D. Franks also control emotional as well as inadequate Series Editor. Vol. 2 . Greenwich: Conn: cognitive thinking resulting in “being lost in the JAI press. forest because of the trees”. Thus behaviorally, ****** a small peck on the cheek or a look may be taken as implying something more intense than Didactic Seminar in was meant. This may not always be important Neurosociology and the in science, but it is in art and literature. Social Nature of the Brain.1

Creativity in life-Span and Diverse Areas 2010 Annual Meeting of the American According to Thomas Kuhn (1970) the Sociological Association average age for the peaking of creativity is between 35 and 39, although mathematicians David Franks and Jeffery Davis, and musicians peak earlier. Creativity however Program Organizers is a function of career age, not developmental ………………………….. age. In the natural sciences this is an average of 20 years with this quality of contribution Sponsored by the ASA subsection on often not being repeated. Examples are Bohr, Evolution, Biology and Society Section Einstein and Heisenberg. In music the peak …… continues in later years because musicians can Rationale: Since the last half of the 1990s operate on the basis of easily repeated which Congress officially labeled “the Decade innovations like “rock and roll” or those created of the Brain”, the ASA and its sociological by the Beatles which continues into later years. officers have supported special and regular In contrast, scientists must deal with constantly sessions in neuroscience at our annual developing advancements. The later takes meetings. From the beginning, these sessions formal, cognitive abilities while the other does have been very well attended. In 1999 Dr. not. Nietzsche once remarked “convictions Franks and Thomas Smith edited the first were greater enemies of the truth than lies”. collection of essays by sociologists dealing with This may also apply to the generation of neurosociological issues titled Mind, Brain and novelty. Society: Toward a Neurosociology of Emotion. Hopefully the above suffices to suggest that creativity warrants a place in neurosociology. 11 For a brief description of neurosociology see George In the following issue of this newsletter William Ritzer ed. 2007. The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology Vol 11. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing

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One reviewer of this volume said that all 2. Cautions About Ideologically Driven sociologists should read it, but that he feared Conceptions of the Self as Neuroscientific very few would because of the wall between Dead Ends. biology and sociology. In a relatively short time, it has become evident that this bias has 3. The Embodied Self significantly dissipated, and more and more articles and chapters dealing with neuroscience Damasio’s Proto and Core Self ( Biological are being accepted in sociological journals and Reflexivity) books. Much of this acceptance has been because of the support for neuroscience by our Effect of Core self on Conscious Social leading theorists who have been invited to start Self. (Studies of Anosognosia in Stroke off the seminar proposed below. This seminar Patients) should aid in demonstrating the relevance of the brain to our social natures and to Leslie Brothers on Socially Dedicated maintaining sociology’s growing interest and Neuronal Circuits in the Brain: necessary progress in this area. Social tendencies of Infants. ( Jump Starting Attachment) Part I. Introduction: (45 minutes) Brain-driven Semiotics in the Handouts: Actors Perception of Inner Agenda, Important Facts about the Brain, Persons rather than Bodies. Relevant Figures of the Brain, Definition of Neurosociology and Selected Bibliography How Language Areas Share Neural Ensembles that Encode Introduction of Warren TenHouten founder of Faces and Voices. Description of the field who first wrote under the label of the Part Played by Various Brain neurosociology and edited the Social Areas Like the Amygdala, the Neuroscience Bulletin, 1993-1998 Fusaform Facial Areas etc. that Encode Faces and Voices etc. Remarks by leading American Sociologists regarding their views of the importance of 4. Cozolino on The Social Brain neurosociology to sociological theory: Reading faces and Linking Gazes promises, and cautions. 5. Tredway et.al. The Effects of Social 1. Douglas Massey Princeton University Isolation. 2. Jonathan Turner UC Riverside A Neuroscience Reinterpretation of the (…accepted pending attendance at ASA Spitz Studies of Infantile Separation Stress in 2010) Syndrome: Plus Current Cases. 3. Randall Collins University of Pennsylvania 6. Questions and Discussion

4. . Part II. Contents of Presentation of 7. Evaluations Seminar’s Running through the content above will be Main Theme (50 Minutes) discussions of methodological issues and (Presentations by Professors Franks and current brain scanning techniques Davis) If time allows we can discuss brain areas 1. Leslie Brothers (1997) on the Interactional activated in situations involving self-related Nature of the Functioning Brain. activities and processes

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Evolution, Biology and Society Vol. 7, No. 1 Spring 2010 - 12 –

New Publications of ASA Section Sessions Section Members August 14-17, 2010 Hilton Atlanta and Atlanta Blute, Marion. 2010. Darwinian Sociocultural Evolution: Evolutionary Solutions to Dilemmas Marriott Marquis, in Cultural and Social Theory. Cambridge Atlanta Georgia University Press.

Session 1. Evolutionary Sociology and : New Linkages Chase-Dunn, Christopher and Thomas D. Hall. Using Biosocial Modeling. 2009. “Changement social et intégration des réseaux d’échange dans la longue durée” Organizer: Michael Hammond, University of [Global Social Change and Integration of Torontol Exchange Networks in the Long Run]. Pp. 159 – 188 in Histoire Globale, Mondialisation et Presider: Rosemary L. Hopcroft Capitalismes [Global History, Globalization and Capitalisms], Edited By Philippe Beaujard, 1) “Twelve Evolutionary Myths” Marion Blute, Laurent Berger & Philippe Norel. Paris: University of Toronto at Mississauga Éditions La Découverte. 2) “Shared Delusions” Charles Efferson, University of Zurich; Ryan Hall, Thomas D. and P. Nick Kardulias. 2010. McKay, Oxford University “Migration and Globalization: Long-term 3) “Why Poor Women Have More Children: Processes in World-Systems.” Pp. 22-37 Mass Fertility and Evolution” Migration in the World System: Past, Present Kenneth Hudson, University of South and Future, Political Economy of the World- Alabama System Vol XXXII, edited by Eric Mielants and 4) “The Biology of Status Characteristics” Terry-Ann Jones. Boulder, CO: Paradigm J. Scott Lewis, Penn State Harrisburg; Press. Jeffrey A. Houser, University of Northern Colorado Hall, Thomas D., Christopher Chase-Dunn and 5) “Handsome Wants as Handsome Does: Richard Niemeyer. 2009. “The Roles of Central Physical Attractiveness and Gender Asian Middlemen and Marcher States in Afro- Differences in Revealed Sexual Preferences” Eurasian World-System Synchrony.” Pp. 69-82 Elizabeth Aura McClintock, Stanford in The Rise of Asia and the Transformation of University the World-System, Political Economy of the World-System Annuals. Vol XXX, edited by Ganesh K. Trinchur. Boulder, CO: Paradigm Session 2: Evolutionary Sociology and Press. Rational Choice: Friends or Enemies?

Richard Machalek and Michael W. Martin, Organizer: Richard Hutchinson, Kennesaw "Evolution, Biology, and Society: A State University Conversation for the 21st Century Sociology

Classroom" will be published in the January Presider: Richard Hutchinson 2010 issue of Teaching Sociology. Two invited

commentaries will be published alongside the Panelists: article, followed by a reply by Machalek and Joseph Whitmeyer, UNC-Charlotte Martin ("Evolutionary Theory Seems So Easy"). Stephen K. Sanderson, UC-Riverside

Jonathan H. Turner, UC-Riverside

Evolution, Biology and Society Vol. 7, No. 1 Spring 2010 - 13 –

Neurosociology: the nexus between

Find the Complete Works of Charles Darwin neuroscience and social psychology on-line at David D. Franks http://darwin-online.org.uk/ Springer Press

Recently, neuroscientists have presented new research which has a direct impact on many areas of social psychology. These include the evolution of the social brain and the human "self", the social nature of mind, socialization and language acquisition, role-taking (theory of mind), consciousness, intersubjectivity, a balanced social constructionism, human agency and the necessity of emotion for rational decision making. This book integrates glossed-over areas of George Herbert Mead's social behaviorism with current neuroscience and demonstrates how current work on mirror neurons supports the basic tenets of the American pragmatists' focus on the priority of motor behavior and their metatheory of transactional analysis.

Evolution, Biology and Society Vol. 7, No. 1 Spring 2010 - 14 –

Free exam copies available for professors Free exam copies available for professors

th Sociology: A Biosocial Introduction New 11 Edition Human Societies Rosemary L. Hopcroft An Introduction to Macrosociology

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