Sacred values resist trade-offs and override rational self-interest in decision making.

Evidence

In contrast to instrumental values, sacred values involve strong moral convictions that are better seen in the framework of a devoted actor model. Sacred values are immune to trade-offs and seem insensitive to outcome. For example, if I consider my house “sacred” because it has a special place in my family history, or if the house was a national or religious monument, I would not sell it no matter what price I was offered. In fact I would take offense to such an offer and get very angry! — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 545

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines the ‘devoted actor model’ and its signature feature: sacred values immune to trade-offs.
• XREF: Directly relevant to the reader’s partner-choice framework (Baumard et al.): sacred-value commitment is what public apostasy rituals like the fumi-e are designed to break. — connects to: Majority rule depends on citizens committing to the common good over self-interest — Jürgen Habermas, A New Structural Transformation of the…, 24; Sacralized values resist material incentives and cause offer-driven concessions to backfire — Hammad Sheikh and Jeremy Ginges and Alin Coman and Scott Atran, Religion, group threat and sacred values, 5; Sacred values are measured by refusal to trade a preference for money — Hammad Sheikh and Jeremy Ginges and Alin Coman and Scott Atran, Religion, group threat and sacred values, 24 (+9 more)