Polygyny and inheritance of wealth

Current Anthropology • Vol/Iss. 23(1) • University of Chicago Press • Chicago • Published In • Pages: 1-12 •
By Hartung, John

Abstract

This study tests the hypothesis that humans tend to transmit wealth to male heirs where polygyny is possible. The results support this hypothesis.

Note

Mildred Dickemann, Umberto Melotti, Leopold Pospisil, Eugenie C. Scott, John Maynard Smith, and William D. Wilder contributed comments about this article. These comments were published at the end of the article. Elsewhere they have been listed as authors, however, in the primary source only John Hartung is listed as an author.

Samples

Sample Used Coded Data Comment
Standard Cross Cultural Sample (SCCS)
Ethnographic Atlas (EA)

Hypotheses (2)

HypothesisSupported
Degree of polygyny will be positively related to brideprice (2).Supported
Degree of polygyny will be positively related to male bias in inheritance (1).Supported
Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: matthew.g.roth  Kate Cummings  Megan Farrer