A cross-cultural method for predicting nonmaterial traits in archeology

Behavior Science Notes • Vol/Iss. 5 • Published In • Pages: 195-212 •
By McNett, Charles W., Jr.

Hypothesis

"Community pattern [archeologically defined] . . . can help predict [these] sociocultural traits: simple vs. elaborate religious paraphernalia, temples, and social classes"

Test

Test NameSupportSignificanceCoefficientTail
Goodman and Kruskal’s lambda-aSupportedp<.001.64UNKNOWN

Variables

Variable NameVariable Type OCM Term(s)
Community PatternIndependentCommunity Structure
Simple Vs. Elaborate Religious ParaphernaliaDependentOrganized Ceremonial
Social ClassesDependentClasses
TemplesDependentReligious And Educational Structures, Congregations

Related Hypotheses

Main AuthorHypothesis
McNett, Charles W., Jr."Community pattern (archaeologically defined) . . . can help predict [these] sociocultural traits: communal or private real estate, shared or hoarded goods, property at death destroyed or inherited, craftsmen, extent of trade, taxes, coercive power, kin-based community or larger, law, political hierarchy, army, religion or magic, ethical supernatural, complex supernatural, spirits or gods, shamans or priests, religious hierarchy, individual or common ritual, group ceremony frequency, simple...
McNett, Charles W., Jr.A 5-rank ordinal scale of cultural complexity, derived from settlement pattern typology, is presented (in increasing order of complexity): band, village, town, city and state. Linear regression analysis demonstrates an almost perfect relationship between settlement patterns and the average number of complex traits each culture possesses (872, 877)
Murdock, George Peter"Genuine social classes appear [in settled communities rather than bands] . . ." (88)
Winkelman, Michael JamesThe presence of shamans will be positively associated with nomadic residency patterns and negatively associated with political integration beyond the local community (319).
Carneiro, Robert L.". . . if a society does increase significantly in size, and if at the same time it remains unified and integrated, it must elaborate its organization" (239)