ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with theories in CSR explaining why supernatural agent concepts are cross-culturally recurrent. The chapter begins with an overview of theories proposing that supernatural agents meet some of our intuitive ideas about agents and counter others, which makes them attention-grabbing. The chapter also outlines research conducted on how children and adults represent God and under different circumstances, as well as arguments that take account of the context of the spread of beliefs about God can enrich cognitive explanations. The chapter then considers the philosophical implications of cognitive theories of supernatural agents, such as whether or not theories speak to the question of whether supernatural agents exist. The chapter ends by highlighting research on spirit possession, which provides readers with the opportunity to see how the theories about transmission help explain real-world phenomena.
