Cross-Cultural Surveys Today

This review follows the deaths of two major figures in cross-cultural research: George Peter Murdock and Raoul Naroll.Their joint influence on cross cultural theory, sampling (73-75, 78, 80, 87), and method (81-84, 86) produced a new era in which the most persistent objections to cross-cultural research were answered.Cross-cultural research came under attack in the period from 1950-1975, and until the cumulation of replicable results from standard samples (80, 87) many anthropologists had concluded that the endeavor lacked merit.Barnes's (3) criticisms of Murdock's work exemplify the prevailing views of the early 1970s.The pessimism of Murdock's (76) Huxley memorial lecture, while directed to deficiencies of general anthropological theory, also fostered the impression of insurmountable problems in cross-cultural comparisons.Given this background, the recent resurgence of cross-cultural research may seem surprising.We begin this review with an overview of theoretical orientations related to the resurgence.We then review common criticisms of cross-cultural research, areas of particular progress, and remaining problems of method.Last, following upon two recent reviews of cross-cultural research prior to 1980 (55, 63), we review the progress of substantive work since that time.