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Method

Participants were 86 males, all belonging to the same religious and social group: 19 were high-ordeal performers of the Kavadi, 32 were high-ordeal observers (nonperforming participants who walked alongside performers), and 35 were low-ordeal performers who participated in a collective prayer 3 days earlier. Observers were typically related to the performers and had previously performed the Kavadi. All participants took part in both rituals, although each was tested in only one, selected randomly to avoid self-selection biases. Both rituals occurred at the same venue and had similar durations and numbers of attendants. Participants were recruited by local assistants immediately after each ritual. Following the ritual, they entered a room near the temple and answered a questionnaire before engaging in a donation task. The questionnaire was delivered on computer screens by Presentation software …