A cross cultural study of menstrual taboos

Cross-Cultural Approaches • HRAF Press • New Haven • Published In • Pages: 67-94 •
By Stephens, William N.

Hypothesis

"Extensiveness of menstrual taboos observed in a primitive society is determined to a significant extent by the average intensity of castration anxiety [measured by a composite predictor based on child rearing practices]" (69, 89)

Test

Test NameSupportSignificanceCoefficientTail
Spearman’s rank-order correlationSupportedp<.001.53UNKNOWN

Variables

Variable NameVariable Type OCM Term(s)
Castration AnxietyIndependentSexuality
Menstrual TaboosDependentMenstruation

Related Hypotheses

Main AuthorHypothesis
Stephens, William N."If menstrual taboos reflect castration anxiety, we would expect a positive correlation between scores on this composite predictor of castration anxiety and extensiveness of menstrual taboos" (113)
Young, Frank W."There is no change . . . when the effect of social rigidity is partialled out of the association between composite anxiety and menstrual taboo elaboration or when castration anxiety is partialled out of the association of rigidity or male dominance with menstrual taboos" (106)
Stephens, William N."The extensiveness of menstrual taboos observed in a primitive society is determined to a significant extent by the average intensity of castration anxiety felt by men [measured by frequency of all kinds of physical injury in folktales]" (69, 89)
Stephens, William N."the extensiveness of menstrual taboos observed in a primitive society is determined to a significant extent by the average intensity of castration anxiety felt by men [as measured by frequency of genital injury and severing in folktales]" (69,89)
Stephens, William N."Extensiveness of menstrual taboo observed in a primitive society is determined to a significant extent by the average intensity of castration anxiety felt by men [as measured by child rearing practices]"