This article examines possible environmental predictors of ethnic diversity around the world. Results suggest that global ethnic diversity is associated with latitude, habitat diversity, pathogen stress, and climate.

This article examines possible environmental predictors of ethnic diversity around the world. Results suggest that global ethnic diversity is associated with latitude, habitat diversity, pathogen stress, and climate.

This article reviews prior findings associating sexual selection, polygyny, and pathogen stress. The author also presents descriptions of several pathogens to facilitate further research.

This article investigates how pathogen risk affects xenophobia, in-group bias, and collectivist and conformist values. Data analysis suggests that there is an association between pathogen risk and socialization for collectivist values, but the other variables were not associated with pathogen prevalence.

The authors investigate environmental reasons for cross-cultural variation in the permissibility of cousin marriages. In particular, they test whether higher levels of pathogen prevalence and geographic isolation increase the likelihood that cousin marriage will be allowed. The authors' underlying theory is that cousin marriages provide protective homozygosity against some pathogens and provide more options when mate choices are limited.

Derived from the evolutionary anthropology theory, this study examines the difference of importance placed on traditions and customs between cultures. The authors found that descendants from regions with less climatic stability place less emphasis on tradition and customs than those from more stable environments. The authors suggest that with climatic stability, the traditions and customs which have evolved and benefited the previous generations will be passed on to the next, therefore promoting cultural persistence.

Derived from the evolutionary anthropology theory, this study examines the difference of importance placed on traditions and customs between cultures. The authors found that descendants from regions with less climatic stability place less emphasis on tradition and customs than those from more stable environments. The authors suggest that with climatic stability, the traditions and customs which have evolved and benefited the previous generations will be passed on to the next, therefore promoting cultural persistence.

This article focuses on the effect of environmental extremes and unpredictability on human behavior and reproductive strategies. Significant correlations were found between environmental extremes and unpredictability and several variables, including mobility, subsistence mode, and degree of polygyny.

The authors investigate environmental reasons for cross-cultural variation in the permissibility of cousin marriages. In particular, they test whether higher levels of pathogen prevalence and geographic isolation increase the likelihood that cousin marriage will be allowed. The authors' underlying theory is that cousin marriages provide protective homozygosity against some pathogens and provide more options when mate choices are limited.

Using a psychoanalytic-materialist approach, the author examines the possible effects of environmental unpredictability on the prevalence of unprovoked aggression by characters in folktales.