Magico-religious practitioner types and socioeconomic conditions

Cross-Cultural Research • Vol/Iss. 20(1-4) • Sage • • Published In • Pages: 17-46 •
By Winkelman, Michael James

Hypothesis

"Mediums occurred in societies with agricultural or pastoral economies, and, with one exception, they occurred only in societies with political integration beyond the local level" (36)

Note

Data also suggests that Mediums may be related to cultural traditions and diffusion, not to socioeconomic conditions. Although, no significant diffusion effects were found, and political integration was significantly correlated with the presence of Medium practitioners (r=.53, p< .005). (36)

Test

Test NameSupportSignificanceCoefficientTail
CorrelationSupportedNANANA

Variables

Variable NameVariable Type OCM Term(s)
Political IntegrationIndependentCommunity Structure
Subsistence EconomyIndependentAnimal Husbandry, Pastoral Activities, Agriculture
Magico-Religious practitioner typeDependentShamans And Psychotherapists, Magicians And Diviners

Related Hypotheses

Main AuthorHypothesis
Winkelman, Michael James"Priest practitioners were present only in sedentary societies with a major reliance upon agriculture or pastoralism"(37)
Winkelman, Michael J. Political integration will predict magico-religious practitioner type.
Winkelman, Michael JamesPolitical integration and the presence of classes are correlated with the presence of Malevolent Practitioners
Winkelman, Michael James"Societies with a single practitioner type were generally hunting and gathering societies; while those with two practitioner types always had agriculture as a major mode of subsistence. The societies with three practitioner types present had agricultural or pastoral economies and, with one exception, political integration beyond the local level. Those societies with four practitioner types present had agriculture and political integration beyond the local level and, with one exception, the p...
Winkelman, Michael James"All of the Shamans were in nomadic or seminomadic societies, which generally has hunting and gathering economies" (36)..."However, all of the Shaman/Healers were found in societies with agriculture, and almost all of the Healers were found in societies with political integration beyond the local level" (36)