Symmetric Respect and Memorate Knowledge: The Structure and Ecology of Individualistic Culture

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The Paliyans of South India have a social structure which is based upon non-competition and non-cooperation, and a culture which is characteristically individualistic in other spheres as well. Among hunters and gatherers elsewhere in Asia, in Africa, and in North and South America there are other cultures which exhibit the same features as Paliyan culture. The parallels are remarkably close and are found among socially diverse (the bilateral Paliyans, patrilineal Saulteaux, and matrilineal Kaska) and economically diverse (Paliyan gatherers, Kung hunters, and Yahgan shell fishers) non-food producers. In all of these cases a recurring constellation of systematically interrelated cultural features may be discerned. Features such as abandoning the aged, "toleration" of incest, lack of leadership, individualism, and memorate-level culture are no longer to be seen as exceptions requiring individual and particular explanations. They are integral aspects of the internally consistent culture type of which Paliyan culture is an example. A small sample suggests an association between intercultural pressure and individualistic culture. The psychological response to intercultural pressure is held to be of importance as an intervening variable in the development of individualistic culture, raising the further question of what other environmental situations could lead to the same psychological and cultural response.

This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit: