Focusing on cultures of New Guinea, this article tests the relationship between subsistence type and various indicators of cultural complexity: population density, settlement size, and residential permanency. Subsistence type is examined through dependence on aquatic resources--specifically, the consumption of aquatic fauna. Relevance of social and political history of the region is also examined.

This article empirically examines Levi-Strauss’ (1966) theory on cannibalism, that “an analysis of cooking [and by extension cannibalism] as a language will reveal certain structural oppositions in society” (54). Theoretical and methodological weaknesses indicate cooking may not be analogous to language and therefore linguistic theory is not applicable for the analysis of cannibalism.

Authors explore the relationship between privacy among newlywed couples and romantic love as a basis for marriage. Authors also consider the relationship between newlywed privacy and kin avoidence. Both associations are found to be statistically significant.

This article explores the relationship between marital residence and romantic love; results suggest that romantic love is most important in societies with non-neolocal marital residence. The author explores potential functions of romantic love, including bolstering against the divisive pressure of relatives, or to substitute for economic interdependence between spouses.

This study examines the consequences of birth order; results suggest that the firstborn child is more likely to have social authority as they grow older (they have siblings’ respect, they control property or head kin groups, etc.). The authors suggest that this authority may be legitimated by extra attention firstborns receive though elaborate birth ceremonies and teknonymy.

This article investigates several correlates of freedom of choice of spouse, including general male-female contact and antagonism in premarital male-female interaction. Particular attention is paid to dances in the role of making contact with a spouse.

Authors use an exhange theory perspective to explain differences in sex restrictions during betrothal. Results indicate a positive association between the amount of wealth transferred and sex restrictions during betrothal.

This study attempts to expand on the list of common customs employed to cope with childlessness in a marriage. Authors specifically examine the relationship between the presence of customs that help cope with childlessness and the severity of punishment for adultery. Results indicate a significant relationship between these two variables.

This study examines the relationship between satisfaction of early oral and dependence needs and concern with affection in adulthood. Data showed significant support for an association between the satisfaction of early oral needs (but not the satisfaction of dependence needs) and concern for affection in adulthood.

This study investigates responses to childlessness in a cross-cultural sample. Solutions to childlessness appear universal, and magico-religious-ethnomedical solutions seem the most likely to be tried first. Empirical analysis also shows that women are blamed for childlessness more often than men, which the authors suggest could be due to women’s lower status.