Cross-Cultural Research

It is suggested that matrilocal (uxorilocal) residence is an adaptive re sponse to the disequilibrium that occurs when a virilocal or patrilocal soci ety migrates into an alrcady inhabited region. The sudden immigration will result in external warfare between the migrating and indigenous so cieties. Most of the world's societics (approximately 70 percent) practice patrilocal residence and are characterized by the presence of fraternal interest groups, which have been shown to be conducive to the frequent feuding and internal warfare that also characterizes these societies. In the face of severe external warfare, the chances of successful adaptation would be increased if these societies could cease their feuding and internal war and instead concentrate all their resources against the other society. Matrilocal residence accomplishes this, because the dishersal of males from their natal villages upon marriage results in the breakup of fraternol interest groups. This theory was tested on a probability sample of forty-three so cieties, using rigorous Narollian techniques and several statistical methods. Test results show that, in contrast to patrilocal societies, matrilocal societies tend to have recently migrated and to practice only external warfare. Com monly held rival theories of matrilocality concerning environment and female predominance in subsistence were also tested and failed to pro duce significant correlations.

This paper evaluates two alteniative theories of the conditions favoring matrilocality-one proposed by M. Ember and C. R. Ember and the other by Dicale. New cross-cultural evidence relating type of warfare to societal size suggests that warfare is more likely to play a role in determining residence than vice versa, contrary to Dicale's theory. A new model, taking Divale's findings into account, is presented.

This paper is an empirical attempt to test some theories which suggest that there are causal-functional relationships between the dependent vari ables peacemaking and peace stability on the one hand and certain inde pendent cariables, such as political complexity, warrior class, warfare ob jectives, cultural homology, and intersocietal ties, on the other hand. Significant relationships were found to exist for the last three independent variables, using a random sample from the HRAF.