Complexity and possession: Gender and social structure in the variability of shamanic traits
Behavioral and Brain Sciences • Vol/Iss. 41 • Cambridge University Press • • Published In • Pages: e91 •
By Wood, Conner P., Stockly, Kate J.
Hypothesis
Complex, hierarchical societies are correlated with the presence of female-dominated possession trance.
Note
Female-dominated possession correlates with: Larger societal population (r=.383, n=35, p=.023); More layers of institutional hierarchy within stateless societies (r=.366; n=34, p=.033); Belief in moral high gods (r=.284, n=102, p=.004); Relative economic deprivation (r = .343, n = 34, p = .047); Low frequency of premarital sex (r = .411, n = 35, p = .014); Overall social status of those who enter possession trances (r = –.365, n = 105, p < .001)
| Test Name | Support | Significance | Coefficient | Tail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pearson product-moment correlation | Supported | UNKNOWN | UNKNOWN | UNKNOWN |
| Variable Name | Variable Type | OCM Term(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Belief In Moral High Gods | Independent | Spirits And Gods |
| Social Status | Independent | Status, Role, And Prestige |
| Presence of female-dominated possession trance | Dependent | Ecstatic Religious Practices, Revelation And Divination, Gender Roles And Issues |
| Societal population | Independent | Population |
| Institutional hierarchy | Independent | Territorial Hierarchy |
| Economic deprivation | Independent | Economic Planning And Development |
| Frequency of premarital sex | Independent | Premarital Sex Relations |