Final answer:
Murdock's cross cultural study is known by the names 'Ethnographic Atlas' and 'Standard Cross-Cultural Sample'. It is a significant tool for comparing cultural traits across different societies, created by George Peter Murdock and Douglas R. White.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Murdock's cross cultural study is commonly referred to by two names: the 'Ethnographic Atlas' and the 'Standard Cross-Cultural Sample' (SCCS). George Peter Murdock initially created the Ethnographic Atlas, a coded database of worldwide cultures, which later led to the development of the SCCS. The Standard Cross-Cultural Sample was created by Murdock and Douglas R. White and aimed to facilitate the empirical assessment and comparison of diverse cultures using a sample of societies chosen systematically to minimize cultural relatedness.
The significance of this study lies in its attempt to provide a comprehensive and systematic sample of the world's cultures for use in cross-cultural research. This dataset has been widely used in anthropological, sociological, and psychological studies to examine the universality and variability of cultural traits and practices among different human societies.