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promiscuity, paternity, and culture
Author(s) -
GREENE PENELOPE J.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
american ethnologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.875
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1548-1425
pISSN - 0094-0496
DOI - 10.1525/ae.1978.5.1.02a00110
Subject(s) - promiscuity , kinship , terminology , certainty , biology , selection (genetic algorithm) , social psychology , genealogy , sociology , psychology , anthropology , epistemology , ecology , philosophy , computer science , history , linguistics , artificial intelligence
Recent theoretical developments, such as kin selection, suggest that there may be an association between genetic relationships and the functions of culture. In particular, the average level of paternity certainty in cultures with high levels of female extramarital promiscuity may correlate with certain aspects of the social structure. Data from the Human Relations Area Files exhibit patterns consistent with these expectations. That is, paternity uncertainty as measured by female promiscuity is associated with specific marital patterns and kinship terminology systems.