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Problems in the aging of females using the Os pubis
Author(s) -
Suchey Judy Myers
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/ajpa.1330510319
Subject(s) - popularity , reliability (semiconductor) , set (abstract data type) , demography , psychology , gerontology , medicine , computer science , social psychology , sociology , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics , programming language
The Gilbert‐McKern method for aging the female Os pubis has attained popularity following Gilbert's ('73) demonstration that the McKern‐Stewart male standards are not directly applicable to females. In order to assess the reliability of the method, forensic anthropologists were asked to age a set of 11 pubes of known age. There was a great deal of variability in the responses of the 23 participants. Three, four, and five different responses (out of a 6‐scale system) were given for each component of each pubic bone. Only 51% of the assessments yielded age ranges which would include the known age of the specimens. Analysis of the errors showed that one of the focal problems of the Gilbert‐McKern system was the difficulty in judging whether the ventral rampart was building up or breaking down.