Found 1098 Documents across 110 Pages (0.014 seconds)
  1. Magico-religious practitioner types and socioeconomic conditionsWinkelman, Michael James - Cross-Cultural Research, 1986 - 12 Hypotheses

    The authors examine the relationship between magico-religious practitioner type and socioeconomic variables in order to present a typology of magico-religious practitioners. Three bases for magico-religious practitioners are discussed in terms of selection procedures and activities. Several hypotheses are empirically tested, and descriptive generalizations derived from analyses are presented.

    Related DocumentsCite
  2. A cross-cultural study of dissociational statesBourguignon, Erika - , 1968 - 6 Hypotheses

    The expressed purpose of the present publication is to provide a typology of institutionalized dissociational states on a world-wide basis, using biological, situational, and cultural parameters. The study is comprised of field work, literature review, ethnographic research, and cross-cultural statistical analysis. The researchers use these findings to aid in the construction of cross-cultural theory, and to provide a platform for further work on dissociational states to continue.

    Related DocumentsCite
  3. The politics of reproductive ritualPaige, Jeffery M. - , 1981 - 20 Hypotheses

    This book investigates reproductive rituals in preindustrial societies. Major theories are discussed, and cross-cultural tests of several variables (fraternal interest groups, menarcheal ceremonies, puberty ceremonies, residence, circumcision, birth practices, segregation practices, etc.) are conducted.

    Related DocumentsCite
  4. An anthropological perspective on obesityBrown, Peter J. - Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1987 - 2 Hypotheses

    The authors implement an anthropological approach to explore the evolutionary and cultural explanations of modern obesity. Three widely accepted facts are considered: (1) gender dimorphism (women having higher levels of fat), (2) increase of obesity with modernization, and (3) a positive association between obesity and socioeconomic status. Using theory, cross-cultural research, and case studies, the authors hypothesize how obesity may have been selected for (or not selected against) in an evolutionary context considering both biological and social factors.

    Related DocumentsCite
  5. Kinship and polity in stateless societiesPaige, Jeffery M. - American Journal of Sociology, 1974 - 4 Hypotheses

    This article suggests a theory of the relationship between rules of descent and polity structure. The author suggests that “polity structure in stateless societies is a consequence of the presence or absence of cohesive factions based on lineage or family” (301). Two types of kinship ties produce different polity structures: cross-cutting ties, common in matrilineal societies, lead to political consensus; overlapping ties, common in patrilineal societies, lead to factionalism. Empirical tests support this theory.

    Related DocumentsCite
  6. Initiation ceremonies: a cross-cultural study of status dramatizationYoung, Frank W. - , 1965 - 13 Hypotheses

    This book investigates a broad hypothesis linking social solidarity and initiation ceremonies. The author proposes that “the degree of solidarity of a given social system determines the degree to which status transitions within it will be dramatized” (1). A variety of operational hypotheses are supported for both male and female initiation ceremonies.

    Related DocumentsCite
  7. Burning the land: An ethnographic study of off-site fire use by current and historically documented foragers and implications for the interpretation of past fire practices in the landscapeScherjon, Fulco - Current Anthropology, 2015 - 4 Hypotheses

    The authors assemble an inventory of burning practices based on cross-cultural ethnographic data in order to elucidate or provide interpretive range for burning patterns seen in the archaeological record. Although no explicit hypotheses are tested, descriptive generalizations are proposed.

    Related DocumentsCite
  8. Global phylogenetic analysis reveals multiple origins and correlates of genital mutilation/cuttingŠaffa, Gabriel - Nature Human Behavior, 2022 - 12 Hypotheses

    This study is a comprehensive analysis of female and male genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C and MGM/C) practices, including their history and socio-ecological correlates, using a phylogenetic cross-cultural framework. It employed two global ethnographic samples, the Ethnographic Atlas (EA) and the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample (SCCS), and two subsets of the phylogeny (supertree) of human populations based on genetic and linguistic data, to investigate the variables that may have led to the introduction of these practices, and to determine where and when they may have originated. The study suggests that MGM/C probably originated in polygynous societies with separate residence for co-wives, supporting a mate-guarding function, and that FGM/C likely originated subsequently and almost exclusively in societies already practicing MGM/C, where it may have become a signal of chastity. Both practices are believed to have originated multiple times, some as early as in the mid-Holocene (5,000–7,000 years ago). The study posits that GM/C co-evolves with and may help maintain fundamental social structures and that the high fitness costs of FGM/C are offset by social benefits, such as enhanced marriageability and social capital.

    Related DocumentsCite
  9. "Economic man" in cross-cultural perspective: behavioral experiments in 15 small-scale societiesHenrich, Joseph - Behavior and Brain Sciences, 2005 - 3 Hypotheses

    This article presents the results of economic behavior experiments conducted on members of 15 small scale societies. Although three different economic experiments were conducted, findings focus on the results of the "Ultimatum Game." The authors found that no society adhered to behavior predicted by the "selfishness axiom" which suggests that individuals will behave in a way that maximizes their own gain. Authors also discuss possible predictors of behavioral variation within and between groups.

    Related DocumentsCite
  10. The Origins and Maintenance of Female Genital Modification across AfricaRoss, Cody T. - Human Nature, 2016 - 1 Hypotheses

    The researchers develop and compare two evolutionary models to evaluate the association between social stratification and female genital modification(FGMo) in a cross-cultural African sample, theorizing that social hierarchy creates competition for high-value males in which FGMo acts as a costly demonstration of paternity certainty. Although the null model outperforms the stratification model when applied to empirical data, an association between FGMo and stratification is found in the expected direction. The authors suggest that while stratification may be an important factor in the de novo origins of FGMo, spread and persistence of the practice subsequently become more heavily dependent on other selective forces.

    Related DocumentsCite