Rituals Move Us: How Rituals’ Physical Style Impacts Group Functioning

Collective rituals are linked to large-scale group cooperation. An important element underlying ritual is the physical sequences involved and the strict adherence to certain patterned movements. Yet, little is known about how physical movement in ritual influences group-based outcomes, if at all. In three studies, we tested the prediction that the physical style of ritual – the elemental movements that comprise a ritual – serves a regulatory function by mobilizing shared motivational and emotional resources and, ultimately, facilitating effective group functioning. We found converging evidence to suggest that how a group moves (physically) during a ritual is closely linked to how they feel (emotionally; Study 1). We also found that the type of motivational context influences the style of ritual created, suggesting that a group’s ritual helps anticipate the emotive dynamics of a performance situation (Study 2). Finally, experimentally varying the physical features of a ritual in a competitive context was found to predict differences in group attitudes and performance behavior (Study 3). Taken together, our results provide support that not all rituals are the same. Physical movement in ritual can be thought of as a regulatory strategy for initiating shared motivational and emotional states required for effective group functioning.