Matrilineal descent in cross-cultural perspective

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

Hypothesis

[There is] " . . . a relationship between residence and stratification in matrilineal systems. . . . Matrilocality is associated with minimal stratification and avunculocality with maximal stratification" (719)

Test

Test NameSupportSignificanceCoefficientTail
Chi squareSupportedp<.01UNKNOWNOne-tailed

Variables

Variable NameVariable Type OCM Term(s)
Residence PatternsAssociationResidence
StratificationAssociationSocial Stratification

Related Hypotheses

Main AuthorHypothesis
Roes, Frans L.Active high gods will be more likely in societies with patrilocal marital residence, patrilineal descent, and transfer of wife to husband’s group after marriage (321). This will be true when individually controlling for society size (jurisdictional hierarchy), stratification, region, and religion.
Aberle, David F.[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)
Aberle, David F.". . . high stratification of freeman is associated with hereditary slavery, and low stratification with the absence of slavery" (694)
Murdock, George Peter"Matrilineal descent is normally linked with matrilocal residence, patrilineal with patrilocal" (59)
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)