Initiation ceremonies and secret societies as educational institutions

Precourt, Walter

Initiation ceremonies and secret societies as educational institutions

Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Learning • Sage • Beverly Hills • Published In 1975 • Pages: 231-250 •

By Precourt, Walter

Abstract

This study of initiation rites focuses on the hidden and explicit education that takes place in the course of public initiation rites and induction into secret societies. The author suggests that in tribal societies, initiations reinforce egalitarianism while in chiefdoms secret societies reinforce differentiation. Deviant cases were also analyzed.

Samples
Sample Used	Coded Data	Comment
Probability Sample Files (PSF)	Researchers Own
Ethnographic Atlas (EA)	Other Researchers	used ratings on political complexity

Hypotheses (3)
Hypothesis	Supported
". . . there tends to be no association between explicit curriculum and hidden curriculum" (244)	Supported
"Initiation ceremonies will exist at the tribal level of socio-cultural complexity while secret societies will exist in chiefdoms" (239)	Supported
"initiation ceremonies will emphasize equality among the initiates, while secret societies will emphasize differentiation" (239)	Supported

Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: mas

Initiation ceremonies and secret societies as educational institutions

Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Learning • Sage • Beverly Hills • Published In 1975 • Pages: 231-250 • Cite

By Precourt, Walter

Abstract

Samples

Hypotheses (3)

Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Learning • Sage • Beverly Hills • Published In 1975 • Pages: 231-250 •