This article examines three theories regarding the existence of pollution rules. Results show support for a psychological theory put forward by Freud that predicts a relationship between father-child contact, post-partum sex taboos, and menstrual taboos.

This book is a comprehensive analysis of many aspects of social structure including family, clan, community, kinship terminology, social organization, regulation of sex, incest taboos, and sexual choice.

Sampling 62 societies from the HRAF database (32 bilateral, 21 patrilineal, 6 matrilineal, and 3 double-unilineal societies)the author asks whether divorce rates can be predicted by the descent systems or the network of marriage affiliations. Findings do not support the theory that divorce rates will be predicted by descent (patrilineal vs bilateral) - but they are more consistent with the idea that conjunctive affiliations are predictive of low divorce rates in bilateral societies. In lineal societies the levirate is used as an indicator.

This paper seeks to explain the presence of the incest taboo, and its occasional extension to first cousins. After considering prevailing theories logically, the author conducts tests of the three prevailing theories, and concludes that inbreeding theory is both the most logically sound and is best supported by ethnographic evidence. The author subsequently addresses possible exceptions to this theory, and includes a mathematical model which suggests that early expanding agricultural populations may have been able to notice the deleterious effects of inbreeding.

This article presents a theory of evolutionary development of incest regulation, namely that as societal complexity increases the incest taboo will become less extensive. The author presents empirical support for this theory, though the association is not supported among simply structured societies. The role of descent type is also discussed.

This study focuses on the development of unilineal descent, reviewing previous theories and testing additional factors to explain the relationship between unilineal descent and unilocal residence. Results suggest four key factors leading to a low association between these two variables: insufficient alternatives to unilocal residence rule, instability of communal composition, absence of sedentary settlement pattern, and small average community size. A model linking all variables from the paper is presented.

This study examines previous hypotheses concerning kinship terminologies, particularly the development of bifurcate merging. The roles of moieties, exogamy, unilinear kin groupings, unilinear descent, and preferential mating are considered.

This article investigates incest rules, proposing that they are instituted by rulers as a way of preventing wealth-concentration among non-ruling families. Three hypotheses are derived and supported with empirical analysis. Two alternative evolutionary hypotheses are discussed and dismissed by the author.

This dissertation takes a sociobiological approach to examining altruistic behavior in humans. Hypotheses regarding the relationship between individuals and altruistic behaviors are tested and supported by cross-cultural analysis.

This study examines Crow and Omaha kinship terminologies, cross-cousin marriage practices, and descent rules. Several hypotheses relating these three variables are tested.