This paper tests theory suggesting that art is a form of expressive cultures which ultimately is shaped by the social conditions under which people in a society live. Focuses on social hierarchy and its relationship to art styles.

This study replicates John L. Fischer's (1961) cross-cultural analysis to demonstrate the correlation between art styles and social hierarchy and postmarital residence. The author suggests that archaeological ceramics might be used to predict social characteristics of prehistoric societies.

Child-rearing practices are tested for a relationship to art and music characteristics in a cross-cultural sample.

This study tests Fischer's (1961) cross-cultural hypotheses about the association between social structure and styles of art using formal design elements on painted vases in ancient Greece. Results show support for all of Fischer's hypotheses.

This paper suggests that Fischer's (1961) "male security" variable is not adequate. Cross-cultural analyses suggest that male security in the realm of father-son interaction may be more important than male security in the realm of heterosexual interaction in explaining the line shape preference of a society.

This study examines several correlates of the shape of floor plans of dwellings. Authors find that "whether a culture is settled or nomadic, the form of its family and the presence or absence of status distinctions are related to its house type, and the house types can in turn be inferred from the floor plan." Curvilinear houses are associated with polygyny and nomadism and rectilinear houses are associated with sedentarism, extended families, and status distinctions.

This study empirically tests Durkheim’s theories of punishment in a sample of preindustrial societies. Analysis shows little support for five hypotheses derived from Durkheim’s theories. Findings indicate that in preindustrial societies, the intensity of punishment is associated with political integration, there are fewer collective definitions of crime, there is a higher likelihood of using material sanctions; additionally, slavery is likely to be an institutionalized means of punishment in societies with harsher sanctions.

This study tests for a correlation between severity of socialization and style of art among a sample of nonliterate societies. Typical personality is thought to provide an explanation for these linkages.

This paper tests for a correlation between primary house shapes and preferences for curved or straight lines in art.

This article presents a variety of findings regarding the nature and characteristics of humor and humorists, cross-culturally. It is a thorough preliminary study on the topic with a review of other work on humor and and outline of areas to be addressed by future research.