Re: Intra-Cultural Variability

Gessler, Nicholas (gessler@ANTHRO.SSCNET.UCLA.EDU)
Sat, 29 Apr 1995 11:47:00 PDT

This is a fascinating subject that Solomon and Harriet raised. The
relationship between intra- and inter-cultural variability is one that
deserves attention. I assume that saying "intra-cultural variability is
greater than inter-cultural variability," is really another way of saying
that it has been largely ignored. The relationship between the two is one of
the reasons a number of people have been investigating theory in "complex
adaptive systems" (see the recent discussion on the single/multiple cause
thread). The two are really phenomena at different scales of analysis. I
don't think it is impossible to compare the two, but I think it will have to
be done using some kind of a "multi-agent simulation system" in which the
measurements can be specified. Enough said for now...
Nick Gessler
Anthro - UCLA