This paper tests some of Levi-Strauss's pronouncements on Crow-Omaha kinship systems cross-culturally. The author tests the relationships between Crow-Omaha and Hawaiian kinship systems and cross-cousin marriage. Results suggest that both kinship systems will prohibit cross-cousin marriage.

This article posits that nuclear, independent families are more common under certain economic conditions that affect food supply, demand for family labor, physical mobility, and property system. Empirical analysis suggests that nuclear, independent families are associated with hunting and gathering subsistence type and low social stratification.

The author uses a world-wide sample of societies to address variation in famiy organization and the economic and social factors to which it relates.

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.

The goal of this paper is two-fold: first, a review of some of the suggestions that anthropologists have made to improve classifications of residence is presented. Second, matri-patrilocality is examined in order to illustrate the importance of considering life cycle events in interpretations of residence patterns.

This study examines how social structure, political organization, and intersocietal relations may affect the incidence of internal warfare (between culturally similar political communities). Results show that in uncentralized political systems, fraternal interest groups and unauthorized raiding parties may increase the incidence of internal war.

This chapter explores and tests some propositions about matrilineal societies. Supplementary to that discussion, the author also explores the problems of method associated with the use of coded data on large samples of cultures.

This study investigates the presence of feuding, arguing that a solely evolutionary or functional approach misses important inter-societal factors. Results indicate that while fraternal interest groups are associated with feuding, the presence of war and level of political integration also increase the likelihood of feuding.

This article answers questions raised by Abrahamson (1969) about the relationship between warfare and political complexity. Significant correlations were found between political complexity and the frequency of being attacked and between frequency of attacking and military success.

This study examines two theories concerning the prevalence of rape: deterrence theory and fraternal interest group theory. Results indicate that both punishment and fraternal interest groups influence the frequency of rape, though neither variable is a necessary cause. The effects of marital residence and polygyny are also considered.