Rituals are found in all types of performance domains, from high-stakes athletics and military to the daily morning preparations of the working family. Yet despite their ubiquity and widespread importance for humans, we know very little of ritual's causal basis and how (if at all) they facilitate goal-directed performance. Here, in a fully pre-registered pre/post experimental design, we examine...

Activities relating to the discovery of local history, revival of rituals, and modification of traditional knowledge that are undertaken in local communities or associations have placed the reflection on the role and significance of heritage practices in contemporary society under scrutiny. We are becoming increasingly aware that heritage activities play an important role in the development of ...

BACKGROUND In Israel, virtually all children undergo circumcision in the neonatal period. Traditionally, it is commonly performed by a "Mohel" (ritual circumciser) but lately there is an increasing tendency among the educated secular population to prefer a medical procedure performed by a physician and with local anesthetic injection. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the outcome of this procedure and t...

Achieving goals often requires the completion of sequential actions, such as finishing a series of assignments to pass a class. In the course of pursuing such goals, people can decide how closely to follow their personal standards for each action. We propose that actions at the beginning and end of a sequence appear more diagnostic of the pursuer's personal standards than do actions in the midd...

the topheth (in ancient jerusalem), considered as a holly land in canaanites period, it was the altar of human sacrifice in honor of baal. the history of the ritual, human sacrifice and the ceremonies accompanied with, among jewish people returns back to when the land of canaan in jordan valley was occupied by the israelite people leading by joshua (ca.1426 b.c.). on these altars the new born c...

Traditional or cultural practices are time honored rituals and beliefs which are prevalent in the community and they may pertain to a wide range of activities. A charm is defined as something worn about the person to ward off evil or ensure good fortune. Commonest purpose for use of a charm is for general wellbeing, and is found to be higher among people living in rural areas in joint family wi...