Population size predicts technological complexity in oceania
Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences • Vol/Iss. 277(1693) • The Royal Society • • Published In • Pages: 2559-2564 •
By Kline, Michelle A., Boyd, Robert
Hypothesis
Average tool complexity will be higher in larger populations than in smaller populations (2561).
Note
Marine Biodiversity, Importance of Fishing, Seasonality and Productivity, Vulnerability to Catastrophic Storms, and Drought Risk were all regressed individually along with population size to ascertain their effects on the correlation between tool repertoire size and population size. The coefficients for these "control" variables were small and none were close to significant.
| Test Name | Support | Significance | Coefficient | Tail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple regression | Supported | Ranged from p = 0.003 to p = 0.143 | Ranged from beta = 0.514 to beta = 0.907 | UNKNOWN |
| Variable Name | Variable Type | OCM Term(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Population Size | Independent | Population |
| Marine Biodiversity | Independent | Fauna |
| Importance of Fishing | Independent | Fishing, Food Quest |
| Seasonality and Productivity | Independent | Climate, Location |
| Vulnerability to Catastrophic Storms | Independent | Climate, Disasters |
| Drought Risk | Independent | Disasters |
| Average Tool Complexity | Dependent | Fishing Gear, Marine Industries |