معرفی
Dimitris Xygalatas is Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Connecticut, where he directs the Experimental Anthropology Lab. A cognitive anthropologist, he studies ritual through combined field and laboratory methods, measuring physiological responses during collective ceremonies. His award-winning book Ritual explores how culturally patterned behaviors create meaning and social cohesion.
Research innovations include:
- Biometric measurement in naturalistic settings
- Cross-cultural experimental protocols
- Quantification of collective effervescence
- Analysis of ritual signalling systems
Fieldwork spans fire-walking in Spain/Greece, Kavadi rituals in Mauritius, and large-scale religious events. Laboratory experiments investigate ritual's effects on cooperation, pain tolerance, and group identity. His work demonstrates how extreme rituals promote prosociality through neurobiological mechanisms including endorphin release and physiological synchrony.
