This article examines cultural forms of population control. Results suggest that female infanticide and warfare are interrelated and effective forms of population control.

This article offers a critique of the study by Divale and Harris (1976).

This article tests a series of hypotheses differentiating internal warfare and external warfare. Results support the theory that internal warfare is a population control mechanism more common in patrilocal societies, whereas external warfare occurs between two societies, one of which recently migrated and adopted matrilocal residence. Based on these findings, the authors assert that internal warfare can be regulated while external warfare cannot.

Author proposes and presents evidence in support of the theory that most societies practice virilocal or patrilocal residence (this is the "normal" pattern" and that matrilocal residence is adopted when societies migrate to an already populated area.

Divale seeks to explain the purpose of warfare that is characteristic of primitive societies by presenting the theory that such warfare is a population-control mechanism. Divale theorizes that among primitive societies, warfare exists in a "syndrome" that also involves female infanticide, blood-revenge, polygyny, and marriage alliances. Together, these features serve to control population growth, and are a necessary aspect of simple societies.

This article considers the consequences of modernization. Factor analysis is used to identify four stages of modernization: 1) changes in education, government, and trade; 2) changes in health, technology, and transportation; 3) changes in family, religion, and toilet; and 4) changes in behavior. The authors then consider five trends they expect to be associated with modernization and test whether they develop over the course of the four stages. Results indicate that these 5 trends—increased cultural complexity, female status, pacification, suicide, and social stress—are associated with only the first and fourth stages.

The association between hunting and sign language is examined. It is hypothesized that sign language develops as a form of nonverbal communication to aid hunters in the coordinated stalking of game. Ethnographic evidence supports this hypothesis. A second hypothesis is also tested concerning the relationship between population size and non-verbal communication, however sampling procedures provided an inadequate test of this hypothesis.

Several theories on the development of matrilocal residence are tested. The main argument put forth predicts that matrilocal residence will develop in response to a need to break up fraternal interest groups that encourage internal war and instead encourage a pattern of external war that is more beneficial in populated regions with additional group migration.

This study explores possible causes of matrilocal residence. Previous hypotheses are unsupported. Results show a significant relationship between matrilocality and recent migration.

This article builds upon gender inequality theory to examine childhood gender inequality in preindustrial societies. Multivariate and cluster analysis are used.