Regional Comparisons, Replications, and Historical Network Analysis

Behavior Science Research Volume 25, Nos. 1-4 REGIONAL COMPARISONS, REPLICATIONS, AND HISTORICAL NETWORK ANALYSIS Michael L. Burton and Douglas R. White* One of the oldest cross-cultural traditions is the use of regional samples. Despite the historical importance of regional studies, most recent cross-cultural research has used worldwide samples, and regional studies have received less attention than worldwide comparisons in the recent cross-cultural literature. While worldwide cross-cultural studies usually involve nomothetic analysis, regional studies are often idiographic, being concerned with the classification of societies, with regional histories, or with local ecologies. And while we appreciate the value of these research traditions, we also want to emphasize the role that regional samples can play in nomothetic research, through the replication of findings. Galton’s problem (Naroll 1970) refers to statistical problems that are due to the existence of linkages among sampling units. Ordinary statistical tests are weakened if sampling units are linked either by common history or by extensive contact. Pro- ponents of worldwide cross-cultural tests have gone to great lengths to select sam- ples that minimize these linkages. Using regional samples increases the linkages and the need for dealing with Galton’s problem. We will discuss below some new solutions to Galton’s problem and their relevance for regional studies. Regional analyses require the world’s societies to be classified by region. We find little discussion in the literature of the best methods for doing so, and we will touch here on some of the issues involved in classifying the world into regions. We will first discuss comparative studies that are delimited to single regions; discuss next the advantages of regional studies, regional replication of worldwide hypotheses, and solutions to Galton’s problem; and conclude with methods for partitioning the world into regions. Regional Comparative Studies Most cross-cultural studies have used worldwide samples. These samples have often been selected in a way that will minimize the historical connections among their units (Murdock and White 1969). Doing so results in a thin coverage of any *Michael L Burton is Professor of Anthropology at University of California, Irvme, California. *Douglas R. White is Professor of Anthropology at University of California, Irvine, California @ 1991 HRAF