Lewellyn Hendrix

Olfactory sexual inhibition and the Westermarck effect

The Westermarck effect (sexual inhibition among individuals raised together) is argued to be mediated olfactorily. Various animals, including humans, distinguish among individuals by scent (significantly determined by MHC genotype), and some avoid cosocialized associates on this basis. Possible models of olfactory mechanisms in humans are evaluated. Evidence suggests aversions develop during an early sensitizing period, attach to persons as much as to their scents, and are more powerful among females than among males. Adult to child aversions may develop similarly, but more likely result from stimulus generalization. This hypothesis accords with current evidence and yields testable predictions (e.g., anosmia will prevent inhibition) that, should they be supported, will conclusively ground the Westermarck effect in a biological mechanism.

A Cross-cultural Test of Collins's Theory of Sexual Stratification

A multivariate model for the explanation of cross-cultural variation in sexual stratification as implied in Collinss (1971, 1975) theory is presented. The model predicts that the degree of sexual dominance in a society is primarily determined by a set of economic and political conditions. Family and kinship variables are predicted to be much less important. The model is tested using a subsample of societies (N = 74) from Murdock and Whites (1969) Standard Cross-cultural Sample. The results are inconsistent with Collinss theory. Kinship and family variables, especially marital residence and descent rules, are better predictors than the economic and political variables. According to most accounts in all societies and in all time periods, men enjoy more of the benefits of society than do women. Within this universal pattern, however, a great deal of variability exists. In some societies men dominate women in extreme; in others the relationship is closer to relative equality. In his conflict theory, Randall Collins (1975) attempts to explain both the universal and the variable patterns in sexual inequality. In the present paper, we attempt to test Collinss theory against data from a worldwide sample of societies.

What Is Sexual Inequality? On the Definition and Range of Variation

Male dominance has been conceived as a constant, but an emerging consensus holds that sexual inequality ranges cross-culturally from extreme male dominance to equality of women and men. This consensus is examined in light of five cross-cultural works expressing different variants of it. None of these works has presented data showing the distribution of societies along the continuum of sexual inequality. Each work defines sexual inequality in a multivariate fashion, but dimensions within theories do not appear to be strongly intercorrelated and different theories posit differing dimensions. There is not full agreement among the works as to whether certain indicators show more or less sexual inequality. If there are no data, if there is no overall empirical dimension of sexual inequality, and if there is no agreement on what the dimensions of sexual inequality are, then the emerging consensus on the range of variation is a myth and not a product of new discoveries. This myth may provide a charter for gender research and action and may enhance the cohesion of the community of scholars in gender studies. Nonetheless, this myth impedes an understanding of sexual inequality. Suggestions for advancing beyond this myth are given.

Instrumental and expressive socialization: A false dichotomy

Barry, Bacon, and Childs (1957) cross-cultural study of sex differences in childhood socialization has been influential in bolstering the instrumental—expressive sex-role dichotomy. We critique their method of data analysis and factor analyze their data. Expressive and instrumental socialization are found to be separate factors or dimensions, rather than opposite ends of a single dichotomy. Additionally, no factor representing sex differences in socialization emerges, but rather each factor tends to contain substantively similar emphases in the training of both boys and girls.

Black Fertility and the Black Family in the Nineteenth Century: A Re-Examination of the Past.

the black family, such interest grew significantly in the 1960s and 1970s, influenced by the Civil Rights Movement which helped call attention to the general plight of disprivileged blacks. Similarly the government, declaring &dquo;a war against poverty,&dquo; turned much of its attention to the poor blacks of the nation. One of the byproducts of the government’s effort was the controversial document, the Moynihan Report, which was perceived by many blacks and whites as an indictment of the

Quality and equality in marriage: a cross-cultural view

Recent textbook treatments of marital quality and equality treat equality as a precondition for marital quality. Other comparative treatments have viewed quality and equality as unrelated or in versely related. Using data from a sample of 186 preindustrial societies, one dimension of marital quality is examined against 13 indicators of sexual inequality and 4 indicators of marital role sharing. The findings show that role sharing is the more crucial factor to marital quality. Implications for research and theory are discussed.

Making Historical Connections: Galton's Problem and Opportunity

Galtons problem, the issue of the effects of historical connections between societies based on their characteristics, has received much attention from cross-culturalists. The author reviews the three major responses to Galtons problem and points out that each response treats it as a methodological difficulty. I argue that it would be more fruitful to reframe Galtons problem as a substantive issue, for then cross-culturalists could develop a better under standing of the different kinds of connections among societies and their effects. Links between societies are important forces helping to shape life within each society. I support this argument with exam ples on intersocietal trading ofgoods, labor exchanges, warfare, and interbreeding.

Assumptions on Sex and Society in the Biosocial Theory of Incest

The biosocial theory of incest holds that the universal aspect of the taboo grows from innate sexual inhibitions triggered by intimacy in early childhood relationships everywhere. Much evidence suggests that this sexual inhibition does occur. However, the theory contains problematic assumptions that either interfere with the logic of the theory or are empirically questionable. We suggest that more attention to variation in early intimacy, sexual inhibitions, and taboos is needed for further development of the theory. We discuss sibling marriage in Egypt to suggest how research might be more fruitful if it were centered on variation in this way.

Nature, culture, and sexual inequality: A look at causal logic

The nature‐culture issue in recent exemplary cross‐cultural works is examined from a causal modeling viewpoint. The causal models in most current explanations do not depart radically from those of the 1950s. The recent models mostly continue to emphasize the interaction of biological and sociocultural factors in producing sexual inequality. In all of the theories examined, economic production is singled out as important in the sociocultural realm. Some researchers sidestep the nature‐culture issue by dealing solely with variation, or by translating conceivably biological factors into social causes. Biosocial writers have produced the most novel causal model—one which incorporates the effect of culture on biology. These findings suggest that we need to pay attention to the causal networks of theories, rather than dichotomizing them into “biological” and “sociological” explanations.

Illegitimacy and Other Purported Family Universals

Various features of the family have been argued to be universal among the worlds societies. These include marriage and the family itself, male dominance and the division of labor by sex, incest taboos and exogamy, and the distinction between legitimate and illegiti mate birth. Each of these features except illegitimacy has a long history of theoretical and comparative investigation. The author argues that illegitimacy underlies each of the other family univer sals, in the sense that it is a given in their theoretical accounts. Hence it is more basic to family and kinship, and more primordial, than the others. Theoretical and comparative work on illegitimacy as a social norm and value is sorely needed, for without understand ing illegitimacy in this way, we cannot fully account for the other purported universal features of the family.