New psychology research sheds light on how social hierarchies influence extreme collective rituals
"In the context of the Thaipusam kavadi, we found that members of the upper classes carried larger, more expensive offerings, converting their financial capital into social capital. Those who did not have that luxury used a different way to signal their devotion: by enduring more of the painful piercings and doing so more often, they purchased their status with their own blood, sweat, and tears." ...
Source: psypost.org