Societal complexity and familial complexity: evidence for the curvilinear hypothesis

American Journal of Sociology • Vol/Iss. 77 • Published In • Pages: 898-920 •
By Blumberg, Rae Lesser, Winch, Robert F.

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between societal complexity and familial complexity. Results suggest that the relationship is somewhat curvilinear; that is, in simpler societies more societal complexity is associated with a larger familial system, but the most developed societies have smaller familial systems. The demographic, economic, and politcal correlates of maximum family size are discussed.

Samples

Sample Used Coded Data Comment
Ethnographic Atlas (EA)

Hypotheses (5)

HypothesisSupported
"Familial complexity cross tabulated with . . . subsistence complexity shows . . .substantial curvilinearity or nonmonotonicity" (906)Supported
"We find a curvilinear relationship . . . between familial complexity and each of the four aspects of . . . societal complexity . . . mean size of local community, permanence of settlement, stratification, and . . . levels of jurisdictional hierarchy" (907, 908, 909)Supported
"When technology, as measured by subsistence economy is held constant . . . [and we] cross tabulate familial complexity with . . . size of community . . . [and with] political complexity, gammas are significantly positive for low levels of technology and nonsignificant for higher levels" (909)Supported
"When technology, as measured by subsistence economy is held constant . . . [and we] cross tabulate familial complexity with . . . [permanence of settlement and with stratification] . . . correlations [are] nonsignificant . . . at all levels of technology" (909)Supported
"[For] a strong test of our curvilinear hypothesis we . . . applied [Marsh's Index of Differentiation], a single societal complexity measure . . . to [familial complexity] covering the range . . . from hunting and gathering to modern urban-industrial" (918)Supported
Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: mas  Amelia Piazza