This paper describes a cross-cultural test of a set of hypotheses in which it is stated
that the junior levirate and junior sororate are related to a particular pattern of rank
ing of parallel cousins. Underlying the hypotheses is the view that, in the presence of
such a pattern, senior levirate and sororate marriages will be prohibited, because
they would create confusion in the ranking of siblings. The results of the test support
the hypotheses.
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