Belief in the evil eye in world perspective

The Evil Eye • Columbia University Press • New York • Published In • Pages: 223-278 •
By Roberts, John M.

Abstract

This chapter examines the variables that are associated with the evil eye belief cross-culturally. Results suggest that the evil eye belief is significantly associated with various socioeconomic and demographic variables. All hypotheses are supported.

Samples

Sample Used Coded Data Comment
OtherOther Researchers
Ethnographic Reports

Hypotheses (18)

HypothesisSupported
The evil eye belief is associated with milking and dairy production, large domestic animals, leatherworking and weaving, and metalworking (241-242)Supported
". . . there is a positive association between cultural complexity and the evil eye belief . . ." (235)fSupported
There is an association between emphasis on male activity in subsistence and the evil eye belief in agricultural societies (242)Supported
"[There is an] . . . increasing likelihood of the evil eye belief as the size of the domestic animals increases" (243)Supported
". . . evil eye cultures emphasized milking, animal husbandry, and, in some cases, intensive agriculture" (245)Supported
". . . the evil eye is associated with . . . communities [larger than 1000]" (245)Supported
"There is an emphasis on patrilineal descent [and patrilocal marital residence] in the evil-eye-present societies" (245-246)Supported
". . . the evil eye is positively associated with modes of marriage that involve the transfer of a substantial amount of property from either the groom's or the bride's kinsmen to the kinsmen of the spouse" (246)Supported
". . . the evil eye belief is associated with the presence of caste stratification . . . and the presence of hereditary slavery" (248-249)Supported
". . . societies possessing the evil eye belief tended to be politically autonomous . . ." (248)Supported
". . . societies with belief in the evil eye tend to be those with a relative concentration of executive power . . ." (248)Supported
". . . the degree of specialization and institutionalization of police functions is positively associated with the presence of the evil eye" (249)Supported
". . . the evil-eye-belief scale is . . . associated with . . . a developed judiciary" (250)Supported
"The evil-eye-belief scale is positively associated with beliefs in high gods . . . [and community rites-of-passage and calendrical ceremonies]" (250-251)Supported
". . . the father is less likely to have a close association with his child in the evil eye cultures" (253)Supported
"Societies with the evil eye belief seem to foster a later onset of motor skills. . . . [Pain infliction on children by caretakers is present. There is] an early onset of modesty, in the sense that the genitals are covered, [and they] are also more likely to have genital mutilations" (253)Supported
". . . evil eye societies are more likely to provide positive training for young boys in industry, responsibility, sexual restraint, obedience, and physical aggression and they are less likely to provide positive training in trust" (255)Supported
There is an association between corporal punishment as a child socialization technique and belief in the evil eye (257)Supported
Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: mas  Megan Farrer