A worldwide view of matriliny: using cross-cultural analyses to shed light on human kinship systems

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B • Vol/Iss. 347(1780) • The Royal Society Publishing • • Published In • Pages: 1-12 •
By Surowiec, Alexandra, Snyder, Kate T., Creanza, Nicole

Hypothesis

Matriliny / matrilocality is associated with the absence of economic inequality.

Note

The researchers tested three different variables listed below against matriliny and matrilocality: class, caste, and slavery. Slavery was significant in one case, and correlated evolution shows that slavery increases the rates of transition between mode of descent. The p-value for slavery is shown here, for more details, see the data in the table on page 4.

Test

Test NameSupportSignificanceCoefficientTail
Chi-Square, Correlated EvolutionPartially supportedp = .00012UNKNOWNOne tailed

Variables

Variable NameVariable Type OCM Term(s)
SlaveryIndependentSlavery
MatrilinyDependentRule Of Descent
Class IndependentClasses
CasteIndependentCastes