Strong Flying Women and Weak Invisible Men: How People Make Counterintuitive Concepts Coherent

摘要: Strong Flying Women and Weak Invisible Men: How People Make Superhuman Concepts Coherent M. Afzal Upal (Afzal.Upal@drdc-rddc.gc.ca) Effects & Influence Research Group, Socio-Cognitive Systems Section Defence Development Canada, Toronto Centre 1133 Sheppard Ave W, Toronto, ON, Canada knowledge is selected applied not clear. This paper reports on a study we carried out to investigate this process for the superhuman concepts that are of particular interest cognitive science religion. Abstract designed how people understand scientists Similar findings previous studies surprising social conceptual combinations, found generated numerous emergent properties such concepts. These results support knowledge-based models combination. Supernatural Agents Religion Religion: belief in worship controlling power, especially personal God or gods. (Oxford-Dictionaries, 2010) Keywords: Semantic memory, folk psychology, development. Introduction Since early days science, has formed core discipline because thought be “the building blocks thought” (Franks, 2003) basis word meaning” (Murphy, 1988). Understanding creation complex by combining simpler crucial success enterprise (Kunda, Miller, Claire, 1990; Murphy, 1988; Osherson Smith, 1981). with contradictory combined also been recent religion investigating spread counterintuitive religious (Boyer, 1994, 2001; Franks, 2003). Boyer (1994; 2001) argued most widespread around world minimally (or MCI short) more memorable than intuitive maximally as “a listening tree” they violate small number expectations associated basic category (e.g., tree case) along property example) constitutes Franks (2001) best considered combinations properties. He further at least “some representations may involve relation mapping combinations” (Page 50). Unlike where constituent simply transferred concept, relational meaning represented either indicates related make concept 46). The relationship establishment processes, context conflicting (Heit, 1998), use relevant background create coherent However, an extensive review literature (Ran Duimering, 2009) recently noted, precise nature was first scholar observe role played supernatural general, particular, cognition world. Scholars from variety traditions have entities hallmark (Giddens, 1989; Horton, 1960; Lawson McCauley, Spiro, 1966; Tylor, 1871; Wallace, 1966). One oldest definitions comes Tyler (1871) who defined it spiritual beings.” Preferring term “supernatural beings” over “spiritual beings”, Wallace (1966) “behavior can classified ritual concerned beings, powers forces” 5). McCauley (1990) define system “symbolic-cultural acts accompanied largely shared scheme includes culturally postulated agents” joined growing group scholars advocating new human minds represent acquire agent schemas (Guthrie, 1993; Whitehouse, 2004). argue understanding psychology language comprehension learning needed why some ideas widely become cultural successes while others quickly perish. Memorability advantages focus work. A (MCI) remembered better (Atran, 2004; J. Barrett Nyhof, Ramble, Upal, 2005). Attempts account these differed whether contextual factors play making memorable, memory distinct phenomenon schema-violating/distinctive (J. L. Barrett, 2008; Russell, 2013; 2009). While context-based view (Upal, 2005, 2009; Gonce,