Tyvan cher eezi and the socioecological constraints of supernatural agents' minds

The specific concerns attributed to supernatural agents vary considerably across populations. Evidence from evolutionary psychology suggests that commitment to supernatural agents facilitates prosocial behavior, and ecological studies have shown that costly rites can increase trust and cooperation. While there has been little systematic treatment of what the gods will know and care about, the contents of supernatural agents' minds seem to rest on a continuum between concerns of ritual behavior and concerns of interpersonal social behavior. In the Tyva Republic, many regions and resources are believed to possess protective ''masters of the place'' (cher eezi). Tyvans offer their appreciation for cher eezi at ritual cairns by offering food, prayer ties, and/ or money. Survey and free-list data demonstrate that spirit-masters are neither omniscient nor concerned with morality, but are acutely concerned with ritual behavior and conservation practices. Moreover, their knowledge breadth is primarily limited to their domains of governance. Survey results nevertheless suggest that Tyvans show a tendency to attribute spirit-masters with knowledge of nearby moral behaviors even though these are not their readily listed concerns.