Phillip R. Kunz

Polygyny and fertility in nineteenth-century America

Summary Completed marital fertility in polygynous and monogamous unions in the nineteenth-century Mormon population is examined. Overall, women in polygynous unions show slightly lower completed marital fertility than do women in monogamous unions. In addition, patterns of differential fertility among wives of various positions in polygynous families are examined. Attempts to account for differential fertility in terms of differential childlessness, child spacing family limitation, age at marriage and occupational distribution are not successful. The hypothesis that wives in polygynous unions have lower coital frequency than wives in monogamous unions is contradicted by data on child spacing. Polygyny is probably more important as a pattern of selection than as a causal factor in determining fertility.

Family size, birth order, and academic achievement

Abstract Responses from 6,642 adolescents from forty‐six high schools in the United States were analyzed in a stepwise multiple regression to determine the independent as well as the combined effects of the variables (family size, birth order, and objective social class of father) on high‐school grade point average. Family size and birth order were not important. Contrary to other research findings, social class was of some importance. However, additional variables need to be introduced to explain grade point average.

Differential Childlessness by Color: The Destruction of a Cultural Belief

This study treats the relationship of childlessness and color. There is a general cultural belief in the United States that indicates a higher amount of childlessness for white couples as compared with nonwhite couples. This belief was tested by using data from the 1960 United States Census. A five-percent sample of women, aged 35 to 54 years, indicates that the percentage of childless couples is much higher among nonwhite couples even under various controls which were employed. The data do not support but are contrary to the general belief.

A Time to Die: A Study of the Relationship of Birthdays and Time of Death

Using data from several sources, the authors found that almost half of all deaths occur during the first quarter after ones birthday, while less than 10 per cent occur in the quarter just prior to the birthday. This finding obtained for deaths of several types included long illnesses, accidental death, suicide, and natural causes. Death did not follow this pattern in the case of war casualties and homicide victims, however. The data supported the Durkheimian explanation of the integrative effect of the birthday.

Residency differentials in Mormon fertility

Abstract Although one of the most consistent findings of recent fertility studies is the convergence of the religious differentials in fertility, few data have been analysed to discover Mormon fertility trends and differentials. This paper, based on data obtained on 1,001 Mormon couples, is concerned with describing the effects that the dispersion of Mormon families from the Mormon centre in Utah to surrounding areas with various social conditions is having on the fertility of the re-located Mormon families. Data presented clearly show that such families do, on the average, have a lower fertility than do their Mormon contemporaries residing in the homogeneous Mormon society in Utah. They probably compromise their religious obligations to have children with the contradicting demands of their new environment. Their loyalty to these religious beliefs, however, is confirmed by data which show that they tend to have larger families in their new environments than do their non-Mormon neighbours.

The Application of Age-Specific Rates to Divorce.

Age-Specific divorce rates and weighted divorce rates are evaluated in comparison with several traditional rates. First, hypothetical data reveal that the age-specific and weighted-rates do not have the weaknesses of the traditional measures of divorce. In addition, they are more sensitive than the alternatives. Second, age-specific and weighted-rates are presented for 16 states to determine whether the use of such rates will in fact increase the understanding of divorce as it has with death rates. The analysis reveals increased precision, reversals of the ranking of some states in comparison with rankings based on other divorce rates such as the refined rate, and the age-specific rates for young married couples is lower than expected.

Physiognomic Homogamy: A test of physical similarity as a factor in the mate selection process

Abstract This study tests the hypothesis that physiognomic similarity is a factor in the process of mate selection. Judges asked to match photographs of males and females who looked most alike actually paired engaged and newlywed couples to a significant degree. This study highlights the possible importance of similar physical appearance as a factor in the formation of interpersonal relationships.

SOCIAL DISTANCE OF DEVIANTS AND DEVIANT OFFENDERS

Previous studies have focused on the seriousness of the offenses but have neglected the offenders. This analysis used a Bogardus-type social distance scale of 23 deviant roles using a sample of 524 respondents who indicated decided preferences for some types of deviant offenders over others. It was concluded that individuals occupying various roles such as judges, defenders, juries, and so on may feel great social distance toward certain types of offenders and may act differentially toward them.

Biorhythms: An Empirical Examination

This article examines the theory of biorhythms and indicates that it is possible that the success of the theory depends upon selective use of confirming data. The theory is examined by using three separate data sets: 727 deaths, 319 marriages, and data from students who kept track of their feelings and abilities for a period of time, one group having a biorhythm to follow and the other not knowing about the theory. None of the data sets provided confirmation of the theory. The theory appears to support the self-fulfilling prophecy, and not the notion of biorhythm.

An Analysis of the Social Distance of Offenders

Past studies have focused on the seriousness of the offenses, but have neglected the offenders per se. Using a Bogardus-type social distance scale 23 deviant roles were examined using a sample of 355 respondents who indicated decided preferences for some types of deviant offenders over others. It is concluded that persons occupying various roles such as judges, defenders, juries and so on may be in a position where they feel great social distance toward certain types of offenders and may act differentially toward them.