@article {335336,
	title = {Outsourcing punishment to God: beliefs in divine control reduce earthly punishment},
	journal = {Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Science},
	volume = {279},
	number = {1741},
	year = {2012},
	month = {Aug 22},
	pages = {3272-3281},
	abstract = {The sanctioning of norm-transgressors is a necessary-though often costly-task for maintaining a well-functioning society. Prior to effective and reliable secular institutions for punishment, large-scale societies depended on individuals engaging in {\textquoteright}altruistic punishment{\textquoteright}-bearing the costs of punishment individually, for the benefit of society. Evolutionary approaches to religion suggest that beliefs in powerful, moralizing Gods, who can distribute rewards and punishments, emerged as a way to augment earthly punishment in large societies that could not effectively monitor norm violations. In five studies, we investigate whether such beliefs in God can replace people{\textquoteright}s motivation to engage in altruistic punishment, and their support for state-sponsored punishment. Results show that, although religiosity generally predicts higher levels of punishment, the specific belief in powerful, intervening Gods reduces altruistic punishment and support for state-sponsored punishment. Moreover, these effects are specifically owing to differences in people{\textquoteright}s perceptions that humans are responsible for punishing wrongdoers.},
	keywords = {altruistic punishment, Behavior, cooperation, cultural evolution, evolution, Fairness, MARKETS, people, public-goods, Punishment, Religion, support},
	isbn = {0962-8452},
	author = {Laurin, K. and Shariff, A. F. and Henrich, J. and Kay, A. C.}
}
