Abstract:

The moralizing god hypothesis suggests that belief in a supernatural entity or the prospect of broad supernatural punishment can foster human cooperation, thereby driving the evolution of human social complexity. Numerous studies, including systematic analyses, have explored the concept of supernatural punishment in cases where individuals have harmed fellow humans; however, there have been limited quantitative or empirical studies of supernatural punishment in cases of harm to nature. Such beliefs could potentially aid in addressing environmental issues or contribute to the sustainable development of local communities. Here, we examined references to "tatari" (supernatural revenge) in the Japanese folklore database. As a research method, we examined the words co-occurring with "tatari" and calculated the network centrality of the co-occurrence network. Our findings revealed that words associated with nature (such as trees, animals, and mountain gods) frequently co-occurred with "tatari." Additionally, the results suggested that punishment was more likely to be directed towards a collective entity (such as a family or household) rather than an individual. These findings together support the presence of retributive elements associated with nature in Japanese folklore surrounding "tatari".