Welcome to Books of the Month, where once a month, we select works from our Bookshelf of authors within the College of Letters and Science at UC Davis. January is often a time for self-reflection and goal setting, so this month’s list features books that touch on both.
Why do beliefs in pseudoscience, supernatural entities and conspiracy theories thrive even when they seem implausible or lack evidence? Often, such extraordinary beliefs are explained as byproducts of cognitive biases that make the belief compelling and/or by social dynamics, like the pressure to fit in with a group. But new research from UC Davis suggests that a third factor is just as important: experience.
What are the origins of shamanism, and what is its future? Following a fascinating cast of characters, Singh reveals the complexities and vicissitudes of a timeless, always relevant, and ubiquitous phenomenon. He argues that biomedicine can learn from shamanic practices and that psychedelic enthusiasts completely misrepresent history. He also shows that shamanic traditions will forever re-emerge – and that by contemplating humanity’s oldest spiritual practice, we come to better understand ourselves, our history, and our future.
Are dance and lullabies hardwired into humans? A UC Davis study challenges the idea that they are universal, using 43 years of research with the Northern Aché to explore cultural variation in human behavior.
UC Davis anthropologist Manvir Singh explores the enduring relevance of shamanism in his new book, revealing how ancient rituals still shape modern life. The book offers a sweeping analysis of shamanic practices across time
and cultures, reframing them through cognitive science and modern human behavior.
In the Integrative Anthropology Lab at UC Davis, Manvir Singh combines evolutionary, cognitive and sociocultural methods and theory to tease apart the origins of human behavior and societies.
Manvir Singh, an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology, recently published an essay in The New Yorker titled "Don't Believe What They're Telling You About Misinformation."
A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that there is an association between how songs sound and their place in our emotional lives. Sourcing songs from across the globe, Manvir Singh and his fellow researchers found that people from different types of societies can successfully identify a song’s type by how it sounds, regardless of the language of its words.
