Evolutionary Memory Embedded in Human Myth, A Bottom-up Perspective

Evolutionary Memory Embedded in Human Myth, A Bottom-up Perspective | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 31 December 2025 V1 Latest version Share on Evolutionary Memory Embedded in Human Myth, A Bottom-up Perspective Author : Mohammad Rasoolinejad 0000-0003-3387-3580 [email protected] Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.176716651.12705094/v1 152 views 108 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Dragons are among the most ubiquitous mythological creatures in human cultures, yet they have no biological counterpart. This paper argues that the prevalence of dragon imagery reflects deep, evolutionarily conserved cognitive biases rooted in ancestral mammalian predator--prey dynamics. Following the Cretaceous--Paleogene extinction, small, warm-blooded mammals evolved under intense predation pressure from serpentine predators, which drove the development of rapid visual detection and fear responses toward snake-like stimuli. These fear mechanisms, shaped by natural selection to prioritize survival, have persisted in the human perceptual and emotional systems due to minimal counter-selection. Through symbolic elaboration enabled by language and imagination, these ancient fear templates have been externalized into dragon narratives, which combine serpentine form, aerial threat, and fire-like danger into a coherent mythic archetype. Counter-arguments emphasizing cultural diffusion are addressed by demonstrating that biological predispositions act as selective filters on cultural content. Thus, dragons can be viewed as cultural fossils of evolutionary memory embedded in cognition and symbolic expression. Supplementary Material File (evolutionary memory embedded in human myth.docx) Download 34.78 KB File (evolutionary memory embedded in human myth.pdf) Download 197.75 KB File (main.tex) Download 28.38 KB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 31 December 2025 Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Keywords behavioral ecology ecosystem ecosystem function natural history theoretical Authors Affiliations Mohammad Rasoolinejad 0000-0003-3387-3580 [email protected] Northwestern University View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 152 views 108 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Mohammad Rasoolinejad. Evolutionary Memory Embedded in Human Myth, A Bottom-up Perspective. Authorea . 31 December 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.176716651.12705094/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . Format Please select one from the list RIS (ProCite, Reference Manager) EndNote BibTex Medlars RefWorks Direct import Tips for downloading citations document.getElementById('citMgrHelpLink').addEventListener('click', function() { popupHelp(this.href); return false; }); $(".js__slcInclude").on("change", function(e){ if ($(this).val() == 'refworks') $('#direct').prop("checked", false); $('#direct').prop("disabled", ($(this).val() == 'refworks')); }); View Options View options PDF View PDF Figures Tables Media Share Share Share article link Copy Link Copied! Copying failed. 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