Healing rituals and dietary practices as cultural super-attractors
The Behavioral and brain sciences, vol.49, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, SSCI, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 49
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.1017/s0140525x25104251
- Journal Name: The Behavioral and brain sciences
- Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, IBZ Online, Periodicals Index Online, BIOSIS, EMBASE, Linguistic Bibliography, MEDLINE, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Psycinfo, MLA International Bibliography, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Natural Science Collection (ProQuest), Biological Science Database (ProQuest), Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest), Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection (EBSCO)
- Bursa Uludag University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
Singh's account explains cultural super-attractors via subjective selection. I extend it to healing rituals and dietary practices, including fasting calendars, sacred or taboo foods, detox narratives, probiotic beliefs, and ceremonial eating. I map these packages to complexity and robustness, specify control-seeking and hedonic mechanisms, derive testable predictions, and outline cross-cultural studies that distinguish satisfaction from objective efficacy for public health.