Movements succeed by exploiting kin-selection psychology through bonding rituals.

Evidence

In the sweep of cultural evolution, movements that develop psychological mechanisms to promote devoted actors are more likely to succeed because they exploit evolved psychology (e.g., kin selection) in evolutionarily novel ways. The interaction of identity fusion and sacred values seems to be one such case, where the psychology of kin selection combines with bonding rituals (e.g., sacred oaths, bayat, to the brotherhood, ikhwaniyah, of jihad and its leaders) to inextricably cement individuals to the group via a shared spiritual and moral mission. — Scott Atran, The Devoted Actor, 58

Categorization

• DEFINE: Explains how identity fusion hijacks kin-selection psychology — the mechanism beneath unconditional commitment.
• XREF: Connects to the reader’s question about manufactured rather than primordial solidarity: this is how manufactured kin-likeness gets built and why it resists correction. — connects to: Kin selection arises from helping related individuals reproduce; Synchronous movement increases trust and cooperation while reducing freeriding; Shared synchronous ritual synchronizes the heart rates of participants and their kin — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 380 (+7 more)

Related

• Kin selection fails to stabilize cooperation even at village scale (similarity 0.82)
• Costly rites mobilize male solidarity and spread culturally through intergroup competition. (similarity 0.79)
• States co-opt evolved kin and in-group tendencies to manufacture devoted actors. (similarity 0.78)

Broader Connections

• Synchronous movement increases trust and cooperation while reducing freeriding #exemplifies (0.90)
• Kin selection arises from helping related individuals reproduce #expands (0.85)
• Initiation rituals substitute family blood-bonds for tracking membership identity #exemplifies (0.85) — Diego Gambetta, The Sicilian Mafia The Business of…, 716
• Shared synchronous ritual synchronizes the heart rates of participants and their kin #corroborates (0.80) — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 380
• Witnessing an intense ritual boosts prosociality as much as participating in it #expands (0.75)
• Shared writing workshops build fictive kin among second-generation youth #exemplifies (0.75) — Neda Maghbouleh, The Limits of Whiteness, 490
• Kin selection fails to stabilize cooperation even at village scale #qualifies (0.70) — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 414
• Kin selection explains cooperation only among genetically related relatives #qualifies (0.70)
• Body language overrides even legitimized interaction openings #corroborates (0.70)
• Breaking dependence on kin relations enables greater economic development #qualifies (0.70) — Russell Hardin, Trust and Trustworthiness, 838