This study presents a sociological theory of marriage type based on socioeconomic organization. Results suggest that intensive agriculture, more stratification, greater political integration, a fixed settlement pattern, a larger population, and greater labor specialization tended to be correlates of monogamy.

This study presents a sociological theory of marriage type based on socioeconomic organization. Results suggest that intensive agriculture, more stratification, greater political integration, a fixed settlement pattern, a larger population, and greater labor specialization tended to be correlates of monogamy.

This study uses a multiple regression analysis to examine the relationship between society type and several variables of societal organization. Results suggest that limited family type is more likely to be found in complex societies.

This article examines the evolution of social inequality through tests of the influence of political, economic and social factors. “Analysis of comparative data shows that while some dimensions of the stratification system (such as measures of social complexity) exhibit a monotonic trend of increasing inequality with level of technology from the hunting-and-gathering to the agrarian type, others (such as measures of freedom and sexual inequality among males) exhibit a pattern of “agrarian reversal” in which inequality increases from the hunting-and-gathering to the advanced horticultural type but then declines with the agrarian type” (292).

This study examines predictors of the type of conflict management used at the community level. Results suggest that level of political integration is associated with mode of conflict management.

This study examines relationships among the instruction of children, household type and size, and political integration. Particular attention is paid to type of instruction--whether the instructor is kin or non-kin, and whether the instruction requires a change in the child's residence. Different types of instruction are theorized to solve problems for children in different household types (e.g. children in mother-child households experience gender identity conflict, and so leave their houses for instruction from non-kin). The causality between instruction and societal complexity is also discussed.

The second and third parts of this book classify the economic systems of foraging and agricultural societies in the SCCS based on correlations between their institutions of property an distribution. These economic types are then examined for relationships with other social, political, demographic, and environmental factors in order to draw tentative conclusions regarding the origins of the Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions. The fourth part of the book uses cross-national data to examine similar associations in industrial/service economies, and is not included here.

This study explores cultural variables associated with frequency of drunkenness and ceremonial drinking. Particular attention was paid to childhood socialization variables, as well as politcal and social organization. Results show a low correlation between frequency of drunkenness and frequency of ceremonial drinking, and various other variables are associated with each.

This chapter investigates correlates of competitive adolescent games, focusing on societal and family characteristics as well as socialization variables and personality traits. Data suggest that games meant to encourage competitiveness will be more common for boys than for girls. Competitive games are also statistically associated with low societal and technological complexity, small and monogamous family organization, less physical contact and comfort in infant socialization, less integration in adult activities, and various personality traits.

This article tests several hypotheses related to the presence or absence of polygyny. Results suggest a negative relationship between polygyny and male provisioning, and positive relationships between polygyny and warfare, interpersonal aggression, and pathogen stress.