Early childhood precursors of adolescent initiation ceremonies

Ethos • Vol/Iss. 8 • Published In • Pages: 132-145 •
By Barry III, Herbert, Schlegel, Alice

Hypothesis

Societies in which social solidarity (low emphasis on obedience and low frequency of teasing) and sex differentiation are present in early childhood will be associated with the occurrence of initiation ceremonies (136, 138).

Note

Societies where an adolescent initiation ceremony is present have a lower mean emphasis on obedience (t=2.27, df=156, p<.05 for girls) and lower mean frequency of teasing (t=2.71, df=98, p<.01 for boys). The differences that are not statistically significant (obedience for boys, teasing for girls) show trends in the same direction.

Test

Test NameSupportSignificanceCoefficientTail
Chi squarePartially supportedUNKNOWNUNKNOWNUNKNOWN

Variables

Variable NameVariable Type OCM Term(s)
Emphasis On Obedience In Early ChildhoodIndependent CombinedSocialization
Frequency Of Teasing In Early ChildhoodIndependent CombinedTechniques Of Socialization
Initiation Ceremonies, Occurrence OfDependentPuberty And Initiation
Sex Differentiation In Early ChildhoodIndependent CombinedSocialization

Related Hypotheses

Main AuthorHypothesis
Barry III, HerbertSocieties in which there is a large sex difference in the degree to which certain traits (obedience, industry, and responsibility) are emphasized in childhood will be positively associated with the occurrence of initiation ceremonies (139).
Barry III, HerbertSocieties in which the principal nonparental caretaker is an adult nonrelative and is predominantly the same sex as the child will be positvely associated with the occurrence of initiation ceremonies (138-139).
Schlegel, AliceThere will be an association between harsh male initiation ceremonies and training for obedience in late childhood, prior to adolescence
Murray, Damian R.Pathogen prevalence will be positively associated with percentage of society which prioritizes obedience (321).
Barry III, HerbertFrequent violent crimes by individuals are associated with the following five formative experiences: (1) The mother is not the principal caretaker during infancy; (2) The mother is the principal caretaker during early childhood; (3) Obedience by boys is weakly required during middle childhood; (4) Corporal punishment of boys is frequent during late childhood; (5) Premarital sexual intercourse by females is prohibited (71-72)