This chapter attempts to explain why the number, importance, and duration of food and sex taboos during pregnancy vary cross-culturally. The author hypothesizes that differences in child socialization will be associated with differences in food taboos, and differences in sexual behavior and sanctions will be associated with sex taboos. Results support the hypotheses.

This article seeks to examine the distribution and frequency of bride-theft. Tylor's (1889) findings between various forms of marriage by capture and certain other social instituions are confirmed.

This study examines the relative reproductive benefits of different types of inheritance strategies. The author argues that, on the basis of the chromosomal corollary, a male's reproductive fitness will be most enhanced if his wealth transfers to his son and his son's son rather than to his daughter. Results from previous cross-cultural studies are provided in support of this hypothesis.

This paper hypothesizes that cross-cultural variation in rhythm is related to variation in infant carrying practices. Suggestions are made regarding the psychological origin of rhythm as well as the function and importance of music in human experience.

This study tested for cross-cultural patterns in the age at which societies "assume responsibility or teachability in children or assign a more mature social, sexual, or cultural role [to children]” (353). Out of 27 variables measuring the assignment of roles and responsibilities to children, 16 showed “a modal cultural assignment of social responsibility in the 5- to 7-year age range” (353).

This paper explores the relationship between polygyny and societal rank. Results suggest that the higher a male's rank, the higher the incidence of polygyny.

The author analyzes the association between joking behavior and four types of instutionalized potential marriage relationships. Results show a tendency for a joking relationship to occur in all cases.

This chapter tests the influences of physiological stressors during infancy on different aspects of musical behavior. Findings suggest that songs in societies where infantile stress is practiced will be characterized by stronger accents and a wider range.

This study explores the extent to which heterosexual sex, love, and intimacy are interrelated and the degree to which the sexual revolution has had a positive or negative impact on male-female relationships. The author employs a correlation matrix to examine the interrelationships of several variables related to aloofness and intimacy in the sexual and non-sexual aspects of heterosexual relationships. Results suggest that the sexual revolution has had some positive effects on male-female relationships, but also that sexual behavior does not predict the degree to which marriages are intimate or aloof. Results also show little support for the hypothesis that marital aloofness is related to hypermasculinity.

Drawing from risk sharing theory, this paper used data from 89 countries to examine the relationship between historic rainfall variation (before 1900) and the emergence of collectivism in, assumed to be, preindustrial societies. Contemporary values of individualistic responsibilities were used under the assumption that they will reflect preindustrial values. Findings support the hypothesis that countries with greater rainfall variation will have less individualism than countries with less rainfall variation. The author then examined rainfall variation and individual responsibility as a proposed catalyst for economic development. Support was found that as individualism increased, so did the economic development of a country.