The Diffusion Possibility Method: A More General And Simpler Solution To Galton's Problem

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-1-1976

Published In

American Ethnologist

Abstract

A new statistical technique permits detection of the influence of certain types of diffusion on the results of a cross-cultural analysis. The key tool is a “diffusion possibility matrix” which shows the possibility of diffusion occuring between each pair of societies in the sample. With the aid of such a matrix, several different kinds of clustering tests are described and demonstrated. The method has the advantage of greater flexibility and simplicity than previous methods, as well as greater statistical power.

Published By

Wiley

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