Riveted: The Science of Why Jokes Make Us Laugh, Movies Make Us Cry, and Religion Makes Us Feel One with the Universe by Jim Davies Summary

Riveted explores why humans find certain ideas, stories, and beliefs compelling through evolutionary psychology and cognitive science. Jim Davies argues that humor, religion, art, and entertainment captivate us because they satisfy innate psychological needs tied to survival, such as pattern recognition, social bonding, and threat detection. The book blends scientific research with examples from movies, jokes, and religious practices.

This book suits readers interested in psychology, anthropology, or the science behind human behavior. Writers, artists, and marketers will gain insights into crafting engaging narratives, while skeptics and critical thinkers appreciate its analysis of religion’s evolutionary roots. Academics may find its interdisciplinary approach thought-provoking but less rigorous.

Yes, for its broad exploration of compellingness across culture and cognition. Davies’ accessible style and diverse examples—from tickling to religious rituals—make complex ideas digestible. However, critics note superficial treatment of some topics and overreliance on evolutionary speculation. Ideal for casual learners, not specialists.

Key concepts include:

• Compellingness Foundations Theory: Evolutionary instincts drive our fascination with art, religion, and humor.
• Pattern Recognition: Humans crave narratives that resolve uncertainty or reveal hidden order.
• Social Cohesion: Shared beliefs (e.g., religion) strengthen group identity.

Davies ties these to survival advantages, like detecting threats or fostering cooperation.

Davies posits religion persists because it fulfills cognitive needs: explaining the unknown, offering moral frameworks, and creating communal bonds. Rituals and myths leverage pattern-seeking behavior and emotional resonance, which evolutionarily aided social cohesion. He argues supernatural beliefs are false but “riveting” due to their adaptive benefits.

Critics highlight its uneven depth, with rushed analyses of topics like humor’s link to profanity. Some arguments rely heavily on speculative evolutionary psychology without robust evidence. While engaging, the book prioritizes breadth over rigor, leaving certain claims underdeveloped.

Like Gladwell, Davies translates academic research into relatable stories but focuses narrowly on “compellingness.” Riveted lacks Gladwell’s narrative polish but offers a unifying thesis about attention and belief. It’s closer to Steven Pinker’s evolutionary psychology work but with a pop-science tone.

• “Supernatural beliefs are false, but they’re riveting because they exploit cognitive instincts.”
• “We laugh when surprises reveal hidden patterns, rewarding our brain’s detective work.”
• Michael Shermer endorses it as “the next Malcolm Gladwell” for integrating science and storytelling.

Writers and creators can use its principles to design engaging content by leveraging suspense, pattern-breaking humor, or relatable myths. Individuals may better understand their attraction to conspiracy theories, viral trends, or religious rituals as byproducts of evolutionary instincts.

Davies’ theory identifies four evolutionary drivers of fascination: pattern detection, social learning, threat vigilance, and status/reputation management. Art, religion, and jokes tap into these to capture attention and create emotional resonance. For example, horror movies trigger threat vigilance in a safe context.

As a cognitive science professor and director of Carleton’s Science of Imagination Lab, Davies merges AI research, psychology, and art. His interdisciplinary background informs the book’s blend of empirical studies, anecdotal examples, and speculative theories.

Its insights into misinformation, viral media, and AI-generated content resonate today. Understanding “compellingness” helps navigate attention economies, where algorithms exploit cognitive biases. The book’s framework also applies to emerging debates about virtual reality’s emotional impact or generative AI’s storytelling potential.