George Peter Murdock
George Peter Murdock (May 11, 1897 – March 29, 1985) was an American anthropologist who pioneered the cross-cultural analytical method. His work included preparation of cross-cultural data sets, in which he coded hundreds of cultures for a wide variety of variables. His intention was that these would provide the basis for cross-cultural studies by many researchers, as they have. Although his approach appeared somewhat mechanistic, it derived from his view of social science as a whole discipline. He communicated with researchers beyond the strict confines of anthropology, and his data sets were designed to be useful to those investigating many aspects of human society.
Works
- Our Primitive Contemporaries, New York: The Macmillan Company, 1934, IA.
- Social organization of Truk, Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico Press, 1947.
- Social structure, New York/ London: The Macmillan Company, Collier-Macmillan Limited, 1949; 1965, OL.
