Comparative analysis using cross-cultural data has a long tradition in anthropology and applications by ecologically minded researchers have exploded in the past decade. Here we discuss problems and recommend solutions for use of cross-cultural datasets in ecology.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Relevant articles
Open Access articles citing this article.
-
Changes in limiting factors for forager population dynamics in Europe across the last glacial-interglacial transition
Nature Communications Open Access 06 September 2022
Access options
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
$29.99 / 30 days
cancel any time
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 digital issues and online access to articles
$119.00 per year
only $9.92 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Kirby, K. R. et al. PLoS ONE 11, e0158391 (2016).
Murdock, G. P. Am. Anthropol. 59, 664–687 (1957).
Binford, L. R. Constructing Frames of Reference: An Analytical Method for Archaeological Theory Building Using Ethnographic and Environmental Data Sets (Univ of California Press, 2001).
Johnson, A. L. J. Archaeol. Res. 22, 1–42 (2014).
Murdock, G. P. & White, D. R. Ethnology 8, 329–369 (1969).
Jorgensen, J. G. Western Indians: Comparative Environments, Languages, and Cultures of 172 Western American Indian Tribes (W. H. Freeman, 1980).
Towner, M. C., Grote, M. N. & Borgerhoff Mulder, M. Proc. R. Soc. B 283, 20152184 (2016).
Jorgensen, J. G. Annu. Rev. Anthropol. 8, 309–331 (1979).
Asad, T. Anthropology and the Colonial Encounter (Ithaca Press, 1973).
Shenk, M. K., Begley, R. O., Nolin, D. A. & Swiatek, A. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 374, 20190006 (2019).
Murdock, G. P. & Provost, C. Ethnology 12, 203–225 (1973).
Wilson, K. M. & Codding, B. F. Hum. Nat. 31, 361–386 (2020).
Slingerland, E. et al. Evol. Hum. Sci. 2, e29 (2020).
Tallavaara, M., Eronen, J. T. & Luoto, M. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 115, 1232–1237 (2018).
Murdock, G. P. & Morrow, D. O. Ethnology 9, 302–330 (1970).
Hunn, E, S. J. Ethnobiol. 1, 124–134 (1981).
Rosaldo, M. Z. Signs 5, 389–417 (1980).
Cashdan, E. & Steele, M. Hum. Nat. 24, 59–75 (2013).
Gould, R. A. Southwest. J. Anthropol. 24, 101–122 (1968).
Bliege Bird, R. & Bird, D. W. Curr. Anthropol. 49, 655–693 (2008).
Bromham, L., Hua, X., Cardillo, M., Schneemann, H. & Greenhill, S. J. R. Soc. Open Sci. 5, 181100.
Gray, J. P. Cross Cult. Res. 30, 301–315 (1996).
Gavin, M. C. et al. R. Soc. Open Sci. 5, 171897 (2018).
Eff, A. World Cult. 15, 153–170 (2004).
Smith, E. A. & Codding, B. F. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 118, e2016134118 (2021).
Lukas, D., Towner, M. & Borgerhoff Mulder, M. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. B 376, 20200057 (2021).
Mathew, S. & Perreault, C. Proc. R. Soc. B 282, 20150061 (2015).
Judkins, G., Smith, M. & Keys, E. Geog. J. 174, 17–29 (2008).
Lefcheck, J. S. Methods Ecol. Evol. 7, 573–579 (2016).
Pearl, J. Stat. Surv. 3, 96–146 (2009).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Peer review information Nature Ecology & Evolution thanks the anonymous reviewers for their contribution to the peer review of this work.
Supplementary information
Supplementary Information
Supplementary text.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bliege Bird, R., Codding, B.F. Promise and peril of ecological and evolutionary modelling using cross-cultural datasets. Nat Ecol Evol 6, 6–8 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-021-01579-w
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-021-01579-w