Matrilineal descent in cross-cultural perspective

Matrilineal Kinship • University of California Press • Berkeley • Published In • Pages: 655-727 •
By Aberle, David F.

Hypothesis

[Descent is related] ". . . to stratification. . . . Matrilineal systems tend to have hereditary, rather than complex stratification to a greater degree than . . . patrilineal and bilateral systems" (698)

Test

Test NameSupportSignificanceCoefficientTail
Chi squareSupportedp<.05UNKNOWNTwo-tailed

Variables

Variable NameVariable Type OCM Term(s)
Rules Of DescentDependentRules Of Descent
StratificationIndependentSocial Stratification

Related Hypotheses

Main AuthorHypothesis
Aberle, David F.[There is] " . . . a relationship between residence and stratification in matrilineal systems. . . . Matrilocality is associated with minimal stratification and avunculocality with maximal stratification" (719)
Aberle, David F."Matrilineal systems are relatively more frequent in the 'dominant horticulture' category than either bilateral or patrilineal systems, at high levels of stratification. They are more commonly in the 'dominant horticulture' category than patrilineal systems at low levels; there is no significant difference between matrilineal and bilateral systems at this level" (698)
Rácz, PéterBilateral or ambilineal descent systems are likely to have less complex kinship systems than patrilineal or matrilineal ones (11).
Aberle, David F."Both matrilineal and patrilineal systems tend to cluster at the 'minimal state' level by comparison with bilateral systems, which tend to appear at the extremes of political scope" (684)
Aberle, David F."If we compare 'dominant horticulture' with all [other subsistence types], we find that matrilineal systems tend to be found significantly more often in this category than either patrilineal or bilateral systems" (676)