LEVYNA conducted field research in Mauritius
In their chapter, Martin Lang and Radim Chvaja examine the evolutionary relationship between anxiety and rituals and ask whether the ritual reduction of anxiety might be adaptive?
They argue that in pro-longed uncontrollable circumstances, long-lasting anxiety could be unnecessarily harmful. Ritual anxiety reduction could thus be beneficial in safe environments, even if not mitigating the threat itself.
You can find the chapter here:
In a new study published in Human Nature, LEVYNA was part of a team lead by A.K. Willard, studying how witchcraft beliefs affect social norms and behaviors. Specifically, researchers investigated whether witchcraft is regarded to be motivated by envy and how this notion influences community interactions. The findings show that, while witchcraft accusations were common, they were mostly directed at persons suspected of acting out of envy.