Applying Heider's Theory of Cognitive Balance to Claude Levi-Strauss

Abstract

It showed that the presence in a given society of any one of the sentiment patterns predicted by Levi-Strauss follows as a logical consequence of Heider's theory only on the assumption that the relation between father and mother's brother-a relation not originally considered by Levi-Strauss -is negative. While this argument cannot be directly tested, due to the unavailability of the needed data, two hypotheses were derived which provided indirect tests of the argument. These hypotheses predict that the patterns discussed by Levi-Strauss are more likely to be present in matrilineal societies and that they are more likely to be absent in societies where the value of the consideration exchanged for a wife is relatively high. Using information from previous studies and from Murdock's Ethnographic Atlas, each hypothesis was tested. The data were consistent with the predictions made, although in only one case was the result statistically significant.