A cross-cultural study

Society and Drugs • Vol/Iss. 1 • Jossey-Bass • San Francisco • Published In • Pages: 135-186 •
By Blum, Richard H.

Abstract

This chapter offers an exploratory study that examines the relationships between several culture characterstics, including child socialization practices, social structure, and food production, and mind-altering drug use in non-literate societies. All hypotheses were supported.

Samples

Sample Used Coded Data Comment
HRAF Collection of Ethnography (paper/fiche)
Ethnographic Reports
compendium of coded data

Hypotheses (33)

HypothesisSupported
"When pressure toward developing obedient behavior in the child is high, then [alcohol use occurs; hallucinogens are used by adults rather than by all ages; stimulant use is moderate; male use of stimulants predominates; and stimulants are used by adults rather than by all ages]" (160-161)Supported
"When early oral satisfaction is high, then: [alcohol use is by both sexes; there is high or excessive use of tobacco; and high or excessive use of stimulants]" (161)Supported
"When positive pressure toward developing responsible behavior in the child is high, then: [alcohol is plentiful; there is moderate or no use of tobacco; and tobacco is limited or scarce]" (161)Supported
"When pressure toward developing self-reliant behavior in the child is high, than: [alcohol use by males is predominant; stimulant use is by both sexes; and stimulant use is by all ages]" (161)Supported
"When indulgence of the child is high, then: [alcohol is limited or scarce; and alcohol use is by adults only]" (162)Supported
"When child's inferred anxiety over nonperformance of responsible behavior is high, then: [there is moderate use of tobacco]" (162)Supported
"When pain inflicted on the infant by the nurturant agent is high, then: [tobacco use is by both sexes]" (162)Supported
"When the community is kin-homogeneous, then: [moderate or no use of tobacco occurs; stimulants are limited or scarce; stimulants are used by adults only; opium is disapproved of and rarely used; and tobacco is limited or scarce]" (162)Supported
"When the community is commonly exogamous rather than nonexogamous, then: [moderate or no use of alcohol occurs; stimulants are limited or scarce; and male use of stimulants occurs rather than use by both sexes]" (162-163)Supported
"When the community is a clan community, community-structured, segmented on a clan basis, then: [moderate or no use of alcohol occurs; and tobacco use is by both sexes]" (163)Supported
"When family is of an extended type rather than an independent type, then: [use of alcohol occurs; and moderate or no use of opium occurs]" (163)Supported
"When cousin terminology is of the Eskimo or Hawaiian type, then: [no use of alcohol occurs]"Supported
"When kin group is patrilineal or double descent rather than matrilineal, then: [stimulants are limited or scarce rather than plentiful]" (163)Supported
"When wives are obtained by relatively difficult means, then: [stimulants are limited or scarce rather than plentiful]" (164)Supported
"When commonly polygamous co-wives dwell together rather than separately, then: [the culture disapproves of the use of cannabis]" (164)Supported
"When cereals are produced other than root foods, then: [high or excessive use of alcohol occurs; hallucinogens are limited or scarce rather than plentiful; and high or excessive use of stimulants occurs rather than moderate or no use]" (164)Supported
"When the natural environment is very harsh - desert, desert grasses, tundra, steppe - then: [alcohol is limited or scarce rather than plentiful; no use of tobacco occurs; personal rather than group use of hallucinogens occurs; and moderate use of stimulant occurs rather than high or excessive use]" (164)Supported
"When food production is by intensive rather than simple agriculture, then: [moderate or no use of tobacco occurs; and high or excessive use of stimulants occurs rather than moderate or no use]" (164)Supported
"When food supply is secure and food shortages are rare or occasional, then: [high or excessive use of tobacco occurs rather than moderate or no use]" (165)Supported
"When settlements are fixed, then: [stimulants are plentiful; and the extent of stimulant use does not increase]" (165)Supported
"When class stratification based on wealth and/or occupational status is present, or based on occupation alone, then: [extent of hallucinogen use is not increased; high or excessive use of stimulants occurs rather than moderate or no use; and the culture disapproves of the use of stimulants]" (165)Supported
"When political integration is the large state, little state, or the minimal state, then: [alcohol use is by adults only; moderate or no use of alcohol occurs; and tobacco is used by adults only]" (165-166)Supported
"When there is presence of hierarchy of jurisdiction, then: [moderate use of alcohol occurs rather than high or excessive use; group use of hallucinogens occurs rather than personal use; and moderate or no use of cannabis occurs]" (166)Supported
"When the society works in metal, then: [use of alcohol and stimulants occurs]" (166)Supported
"When headmen are hereditary, then: [moderate use of alcohol occurs rather than high or excessive use and high or excessive use of cannabis occurs rather than moderate use]" (166)Supported
"When individual rights in real property and rules for inheritance are present, then: [use of tobacco occurs; and cultures disapprove of tobacco use]" (166)Supported
"When games are limited to games of skill only, then [no use of alcohol occurs; stimulants are plentiful; stimulants are used by both sexes; and stimulants are used by all ages rather than by adults only]" (166-167)Supported
"When dreams are used to control supernatural powers, then: [high or excessive use of alcohol occurs; tobacco is limited or scarce; and there is high or excessive use of stimulants rather than moderate or no use]" (167)Supported
"When games, if present, include games of strategy, then: [use of alcohol occurs; alcohol is plentiful; and stimulants are limited or scarce]" (167)Supported
"When military glory is strongly emphasized (or moderately), then: [male use of alcohol is predominant; and the culture approves rather than disapproves of the use of cannabis]" (167)Supported
"When bellicosity is extreme, then [male use of alcohol predominates; and the culture approves of the use of hallucinogens]" (167)Supported
"When games, if present, include games of chance, then: [alcohol use occurs; and the culture approves of the use of alcohol]" (167)Supported
"When composite narcissism is high, then: [male use of alcohol predominates; and use of alcohol occurs]" (168)Supported
Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: mas  Megan Farrer