Answer:
In the 1930s anthropologist Margaret Mead conducted a study of cultural variation. Her purpose in the study was to determine whether differences in basic temperament result mainly from inherited characteristics or from cultural influences. To find out, she made firsthand observations of the shared, learned behaviors of several small societies in New Guinea. The desire for an in-depth understanding of cultural variation led Mead to live among the people of New Guinea and to participate in their activities. Two of the societies that Mead examined were the Arapesh and the Mundugumor. Mead found that although the two societies lived only about 100 miles apart and shared many social traits, their cultures were vastly different. At the time of Mead’s study, the Arapesh lived in the mountains while the Mundugumor lived in a river valley. The Arapesh planted gardens while the Mundugumor were primarily food gatherers. For the Arapesh, food was usually scarce. The Mundugumor, on the other hand, had an abundance of food, and life was relatively easy. Based on her research, Mead concluded that temperament is mainly the result of culture rather than biology. She noted that differences in temperament were much greater between the two societies than between males and females in the same society. Among the Arapesh, men and women alike were gentle and cooperative. Similarly, among the Mundugumor, everyone was hostile and competitive. Mead’s study vividly illustrates the wide variance among cultures.
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