Correlational analysis of murdock's 1957 ethnographic sample

American Anthropologist • Vol/Iss. 69 • Published In • Pages: 332-352 •
By Driver, Harold E., Schuessler, Karl F.

Abstract

This paper "reduces Murdock's 210 categories to 30 variables, and intercorrelates and factor analyzes the variables for six world subdivisions as well as for the entire world." This article also discusses factor analysis as a method and examines the correlations more closely between the two regions that differed the most, North America and the Circum-Mediterranean.

Note

This article is also reprinted in the book "Comparative Studies by Harold E. Driver and Essays in His Honor."

Samples

Sample Used Coded Data Comment
World Ethnographic Sample (WES)

Hypotheses (5)

HypothesisSupported
"[In factor analysis of Murdock's WES, for the factor called typical patricentered organization] variables heavily loaded include patrilineal descent, patrilocal residence, and brideprice" (334)Supported
In factor analysis of Murdock's WES, for the factor called agriculture, variables loading on this are cereal grains dominant, agriculture dominant, agriculture sex division of labor about equal and compact villages and towns (336, 340)Supported
"[In factor analysis of Murdock's WES, for the factor called matrilineal descent] the absence of this trait is combined with the forbidding of marriage of a man to his MoSiDa and a low loading (.44) of Hawaiian kin classification" (335)Supported
"[In factor analysis of Murdock's WES, for factor deviant patricentered organization variables loading heavily are] patrilineal descent and kindreds unreported, patrilineal succession other than Br or So or preference unspecified, and hunting-gathering important but not dominant" (335)Supported
"[In factor analysis of Murdock's WES, for the factor called social stratification variables loading heavily are] absence of social stratification, absence of slavery and autonomous communities under 1,500 persons" (335)Supported
Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: mas  Megan Farrer