Toward a Unified Theory of Ancestor Worship: A Cross-Cultural Study

Social Forces • Vol/Iss. 54(2) • Oxford University Press • • Published In • Pages: 427-440 •
By Sheils, Dean

Hypothesis

There will be an association between agricultural level and ancestor worship.

Note

The relationship is significant but the researcher claims that is most likely spurious.

Test

Test NameSupportSignificanceCoefficientTail
Chi-squareSupportedp = .01C = .65UNKNOWN

Variables

Variable NameVariable Type OCM Term(s)
Ancestor WorshipDependentCult Of The Dead
Agricultural Level IndependentAgriculture, Tillage

Related Hypotheses

Main AuthorHypothesis
Sheils, DeanThere will be an association between agricultural level and descent type. Cognatic descent will be more customary among hunter-gatherers and advanced agrarians than amid simple agrarians and simple and advanced horticulturalists.
Sheils, DeanThere will be an association between agricultural level and conjugal formation. Advanced horticulturalists will have more complex conjugal formation than hunter-gatherers, simple horticulturalists, simple agrarians, and advanced agrarians.
Sheils, DeanThere will be an association between agricultural level and polygyny. The incidence of polygyny will be most common amid simple agrarians, simple horticulturalists, and advanced horticulturalists than among hunter-gatherers and advanced agrarians.
Sheils, DeanThere will be an association between conjugal formation and ancestor worship. Societies with more complex conjugal formation will be more likely to practice ancestor worship.
Sheils, DeanThere will be an association between polygyny and ancestor worship. Societies that have a higher occurrence of polygyny will be more likely to practice ancestor worship than those with a lower occurrence or absence of polygyny.