Dimitris Xygalatas

all of these situations that's where we see that people spontaneously engage in all of those ritualized actions and what all of these situations have in common is that they involve a lot of uncertainty and a lot of anxiety so anthropologists have theorized a long time ago that perhaps engaging in rituals is an attempt to overcome this anxiety now how exactly this works we didn't know recent research provides evidence about how this exactly might work

all of these situations that's where we see that people spontaneously engage in all of those ritualized actions and what all of these situations have in common is that they involve a lot of uncertainty and a lot of anxiety so anthropologists have theorized a long time ago that perhaps engaging in rituals is an attempt to overcome this anxiety now how exactly this works we didn't know recent research provides evidence about how this exactly might work

For example, in my own research that I've done with my colleagues, when we bring people into a lab and we stress them up, we see that their behavior becomes more ritualized. Their movements become more repetitive. And we take this research into the real world and we go into religious temples and we measure people's anxiety before and after they perform their cultural rituals.

For example, in my own research that I've done with my colleagues, when we bring people into a lab and we stress them up, we see that their behavior becomes more ritualized. Their movements become more repetitive. And we take this research into the real world and we go into religious temples and we measure people's anxiety before and after they perform their cultural rituals.

For example, in my own research that I've done with my colleagues, when we bring people into a lab and we stress them up, we see that their behavior becomes more ritualized. Their movements become more repetitive. And we take this research into the real world and we go into religious temples and we measure people's anxiety before and after they perform their cultural rituals.

And we see that performing those rituals helps them reduce anxiety. We can see this in their heart rate variability, in their cortisol levels, and even at the subjective level, they feel calmer. How does that exactly happen?

And we see that performing those rituals helps them reduce anxiety. We can see this in their heart rate variability, in their cortisol levels, and even at the subjective level, they feel calmer. How does that exactly happen?

And we see that performing those rituals helps them reduce anxiety. We can see this in their heart rate variability, in their cortisol levels, and even at the subjective level, they feel calmer. How does that exactly happen?

In other studies in the laboratory, we see that when people engage in those repetitive movements that are very common in rituals, even if they're stripped of any kind of meaning, that in itself helps them deal with anxiety. And the reason for that is that it is related to the way our brain works. Our brain doesn't just passively absorb stimuli.

In other studies in the laboratory, we see that when people engage in those repetitive movements that are very common in rituals, even if they're stripped of any kind of meaning, that in itself helps them deal with anxiety. And the reason for that is that it is related to the way our brain works. Our brain doesn't just passively absorb stimuli.

In other studies in the laboratory, we see that when people engage in those repetitive movements that are very common in rituals, even if they're stripped of any kind of meaning, that in itself helps them deal with anxiety. And the reason for that is that it is related to the way our brain works. Our brain doesn't just passively absorb stimuli.

It makes active predictions about the state of the world all of the time. Before I even finish the sentence that I'm about to say, you have certain expectations about what's going to follow. Our brain does this in all kinds of domains. And when we don't have this ability to make predictions, when we don't know what's about to come, that's when we feel stressed.

It makes active predictions about the state of the world all of the time. Before I even finish the sentence that I'm about to say, you have certain expectations about what's going to follow. Our brain does this in all kinds of domains. And when we don't have this ability to make predictions, when we don't know what's about to come, that's when we feel stressed.

It makes active predictions about the state of the world all of the time. Before I even finish the sentence that I'm about to say, you have certain expectations about what's going to follow. Our brain does this in all kinds of domains. And when we don't have this ability to make predictions, when we don't know what's about to come, that's when we feel stressed.

And that's where ritual comes in, because if ritual is anything, it is structure. It is order. Ritual is very predictable. When we engage in a familiar ritual, we know exactly what's going to happen. We know exactly when it is going to happen, and we know exactly how it's going to happen. And this gives our brain a sense of control.

And that's where ritual comes in, because if ritual is anything, it is structure. It is order. Ritual is very predictable. When we engage in a familiar ritual, we know exactly what's going to happen. We know exactly when it is going to happen, and we know exactly how it's going to happen. And this gives our brain a sense of control.

And that's where ritual comes in, because if ritual is anything, it is structure. It is order. Ritual is very predictable. When we engage in a familiar ritual, we know exactly what's going to happen. We know exactly when it is going to happen, and we know exactly how it's going to happen. And this gives our brain a sense of control.

And it doesn't really matter whether this sense of control is real or illusory. All that matters is that it actually works. And this is what we're finding in our studies. People who engage in those repetitive rituals, they're better able to cope with anxiety.

And it doesn't really matter whether this sense of control is real or illusory. All that matters is that it actually works. And this is what we're finding in our studies. People who engage in those repetitive rituals, they're better able to cope with anxiety.

And it doesn't really matter whether this sense of control is real or illusory. All that matters is that it actually works. And this is what we're finding in our studies. People who engage in those repetitive rituals, they're better able to cope with anxiety.