Memory and mystery 1 RUNNING HEAD: THE CULTURAL SELECTION OF NARRATIVES Memory and Mystery: The Cultural Selection of Minimally Counterintuitive Narratives

Memory and mystery 2 Abstract We hypothesize that cultural narratives such as myths and folktales are more likely to achieve cultural stability if they correspond to a minimally counterintuitive cognitive template that includes mostly intuitive concepts combined with a minority of counterintuitive ones. Two studies tested this hypothesis, examining whether this template produces a memory advantage, and whether this memory advantage explains the cultural success of folktales. In a controlled laboratory setting, Study 1 found that a minimally counterintuitive template produces a memory advantage after a 1-week delay, relative to entirely intuitive or maximally counterintuitive cognitive templates. Using archival methods, Study 2 examined the cognitive structure of Grimm Brothers folktales. Compared to culturally unsuccessful folktales, those that were demonstrably successful were especially likely to fit a minimally counterintuitive template. These findings highlight the role of human memory processes in cultural evolution.