A Cross-Cultural Summary: Male Initiation Rites

HRAF Press • New Haven, Connecticut • Published In • Pages: ??•
By Textor, Robert B.

Abstract

Textor summarizes cross-cultural male initiation rites findings pertaining to cultural, environmental, psychological, and social phenomena.

Note

Male Initiation Rites is a section of A Cross-Cultural Summary. Following each hypothesis are two sets of numbers enclosed in parenthesis: the first is the book identification for male initiation rites and the second is the identification of the other variable.

Samples

Sample Used Coded Data Comment
Ethnographic Atlas (EA)Previously Coded

Hypotheses (14)

HypothesisSupported
In societies with high rates of female subsistence contribution, male initiation rites will be prevalent (372, 127).Supported
In societies with partial or complete segregation of adolescents, male initiation rites will be prevalent (373, 370).Supported
In societies permitting homosexual activity, male initiation rites will be prevalent (372, 400).Marginally Supported
In societies where post-partum taboos last longer than a month, male initiation rites at puberty will be prevalent (373, 301).Marginally Supported
In societies with high rates of socialization anxiety, male initiation rites at puberty will be prevalent (373, 308).Supported
In societies where sorcery is important, male initiation rites at puberty will be prevalent (373, 445).Marginally Supported
In societies with high observation of food taboos, male initiation rites during puberty will be prevalent (373, 449).Supported
In societies where the presence of polygyny is high, there will be male initiation rites secrets (375, 243).Marginally Supported
In societies valuing love magic, there will male initiation rites secrets (375, 447).Supported
In societies with a high incidence of theft, male genital mutilation will be prevalent (377, 149).Marginally Supported
In societies that practice wife-lending or wife-exchange, male genital mutilation will be prevalent (377, 279).Marginally Supported
In societies practicing infanticide, male genital mutilation will be prevalent (377, 296).Marginally Supported
In societies with a full-time occupational specialization, male genital mutilation will be prevalent (378, 116).Supported
In societies where the kin group is patrilineal or double-descent over matrilineal, male genital operations will be a part of initiation rites (379, 190).Supported
Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: milagro.escobar