A cross-cultural test of the proximity hypothesis

Behavior Science Notes • Vol/Iss. 7 • Published In • Pages: 243-263 •
By Witkowski, Stanley

Abstract

This paper tests the proximity hypothesis (used by Murdock [1949]) which posits that residential propinquity will be associated with parent-in-law avoidance and kin terminology. Several operational hypotheses are tested but none are supported. The author suggests that this finding may cast doubt other hypotheses that underlie Murdock’s findings, such as the participation hypothesis.

Samples

Sample Used Coded Data Comment
OtherOther Researchers
Ethnographic Atlas (EA)

Hypotheses (7)

HypothesisSupported
"The proximity hypothesis suggests that bifurcation should be positively associated with the degree of community exogamy" (255)Not Supported
"The residential proximity hypothesis predicts that a society's degree of terminological bifurcation will covary positively with degree of family extension" (253)Not Supported
". . . the degree of extended family organization--from large extended, to small extended, to nonextended--should be positively associated with the degree of collateral [kin terminology] merging" (253)Not Supported
". . . residential propinquity influences a society's kin avoidance. . . . [There is an] association between father-in-law/daughter-in-law avoidance and [their] degree of community coresidence" (243, 248)Not Supported
". . . residential propinquity influences a society's kin avoidance. . . . [There is an] association between mother-in-law/son-in-law avoidance and [their] degree of community coresidence" (243, 247)Not Supported
"The residential proximity hypothesis suggests that institutionalized avoidance practices should be more likely to occur when the avoiding parties are living in the same household than when they are just living in the same community." [Mother-in-law/son-in-law avoidance increases with the degree of household co-residence] (249)Not Supported
Father-in-law/daughter-in-law avoidance should be more likely to occur where there is household co-residence (243, 250)Not Supported
Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: mas  Amelia Piazza