In a volume devoted to the understanding of the American family, the author, using data from 56 societies, tests a couple of hypotheses about role differentiation in the nuclear family.

In a volume devoted to the understanding of the American family, the author, using data from 56 societies, tests a couple of hypotheses about role differentiation in the nuclear family.

In a volume devoted to the understanding of the American family, the author, using data from 56 societies, tests a couple of hypotheses about role differentiation in the nuclear family.

This article tests differing theories of why a man's marriage of his mother's brother's daughter is often encouraged while marriage of the father's sister's daughter is discouraged. Maintenance of relationships between bride-givers and bride takers is considered, as are the role of childhood sentiments in choosing a spouse.

This study examines relationships among the instruction of children, household type and size, and political integration. Particular attention is paid to type of instruction--whether the instructor is kin or non-kin, and whether the instruction requires a change in the child's residence. Different types of instruction are theorized to solve problems for children in different household types (e.g. children in mother-child households experience gender identity conflict, and so leave their houses for instruction from non-kin). The causality between instruction and societal complexity is also discussed.

The study is about matrilineal systems, where descent is traced along female lines. Matrilineal systems are relatively rare in human populations, and previous research has discussed the rarity and apparent instability of matriliny. The study aims to study the evolution of descent systems on a worldwide scale. The study tests for significant associations between matriliny and numerous cultural traits that have been theoretically associated with its stability or loss, such as subsistence strategy, animal domestication, mating system, residence pattern, wealth transfer, and property succession. Additionally, by combining genetic and linguistic information to build a global supertree that includes 16 matrilineal populations, the study also performs phylogenetically controlled analyses to assess the patterns of correlated evolution between descent and other traits.

This study examines relationships among descent, marriageable relatives, residence, family, and mode of production.

This article examines predictors of intimacy between husbands and wives. Emphasis is on equality of spouses. A causal model is presented.

This article discusses the role of the mother's brother. Results suggest that role of the mother's brother is associated with descent and residence.

This paper describes a typology which is intended to indicate the kinds of family and kinship structures associated with the conflicting requirements of cohesion and differentiation of broader social structures.