Final answer:
The reason for initiation rites and rituals in many groups is to foster group cohesion, bonding members with shared experiences and indoctrinating them with the group's norms and values. The correct option is C.
Step-by-step explanation:
One reason why many groups have some form of initiation rites and rituals is to enhance group cohesion. This is because such rituals tend to integrate individuals into the social fabric of the community, indoctrinating them with the group's values, traditions, and norms.
The result is a stronger sense of unity and identity among the group members. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is (C) Group cohesion.
Initiation rites often involve stages of separation, transition, and incorporation, where individuals leave their previous role, learn new rules and knowledge during a liminal phase, and then are reintroduced to the community with a new status.
These processes often include tests or challenges which, according to social psychology theories like justification of effort, make the achievements more valuable and the group more appealing to the individuals.