Summary of:
Elbedour, S., Bart, W. M., and Hektner, J. (2003). Intelligence and family marital structure: The
case of adolescents from monogamous and polygamous families among bedouin arabs in israel.
Journal of Social Psychology, 143(1), 95-110.
Summary by Lauren Anderson, Whitney Justice, and Roxanne Majich
For Dr. Mills’ Psyc 310 class, Spring, 2010
Elbedour, Bart, and Hektner (2003) examined the influence of family marital structure,
namely monogamy and polygamy, on intelligence levels of adolescents. The researchers
conducted the study in Israel, specifically within the Bedouin Arab culture. In their introduction,
Elbedour et al. (2003) cited different research all supporting the claim that family environment
and child development are correlated. Elbedour et al. (2003) cited Amato and Keith (1991) and
claimed that parents’ investment and resource provision to children are associated with the
child’s well-being and cognitive development. It therefore logically follows that a polygamous
household, in which conflict, jealousy, and lack of investment are prevalent, could be deleterious
to a child’s cognitive well-being. Polygamous family structures also weaken a child’s
psychological security due to the weakened parent-child relationship (Elbedour et al., 2003).
“Polygamy is defined as a marital system in which one man is married concurrently to
more than one woman” (Elbedour et al., 2003, pp 99). In the Bedouin culture, the larger the
family size, the higher the perceived social status is of that family (Elbedour et al., 2003). The
researchers hypothesized that polygamous family structures would breed lower levels of
intelligence in adolescents as opposed to monogamous family structures.
Participants
The sample was made up of 210 students (98 female, 112 male). They ranged in grades
from seventh through twelfth; the mean age was roughly 15 years. 84 participants came from
monogamous families, 114 from polygamous families, and the remaining 12 did not provide
such information. Of the polygamous families, 76 participants had fathers with two wives, 36
with three, and 2 with four. Also being measured was the relational status of the participants’
parents. 101 reported their parents were blood relatives. The researchers made a point to note
that the closest reported relation between spouses was that of first cousins. The father’s
education was also taken into account and coded on a 5-pt scale, from did not go to school (1) to
university education (5).
Instrument
The researchers administered a shortened form of the Raven’s Progressive Matrices
(RPM) test, consisting of 29 items. The participants had 20 minutes to complete it.
Results
There were no significant differences in scores between participants from polygamous
families and those from monogamous families. However, students with two mothers had lower
scores than those with three or four mothers. Students with related parents also had lower RPM
score than those with unrelated parents. The father’s education had a significant effect on
students’ scores, although the effect was marginal.
Discussion
Against all logic, this study did not reveal detrimental effects of polygamy on adolescent
intelligence levels. The researchers mentioned one reason could be due to the age of the
participants. The adolescents were at an age at which they were greatly influenced by their peers
(Elbedour et al., 2003). The parents at home are therefore not the only factors that contribute to
the students’ intelligence. Elbedour et al. (2003) point out that peers and extended family make a
huge impact on adolescent development in the Bedouin community.
Furthermore, the closeness of the community provided behavioral and cultural
influence. For instance, the students went to the same school and mosque, participate in the
same recreational activities, and have the same peer groups (Elbedour et al., 2003). In addition,
the Bedouin community is highly collectivist, meaning child rearing is merely based on the
values of one set of parents, but on the values of the entire community (Elbedour et al., 2003).
Another point the researchers made regarded the stigmatism of polygamy vs. monogamy.
Elbedour et al. (2003) asserted that because large family size was associated with high status, not
only was polygamy not stigmatized, but it was strongly endorsed. Adolescents from a
polygamous family structure do not perceive themselves as being at a disadvantage. The
deleterious effects Western culture associates with polygamy, are therefore buffered by the
values of the Bedouin community (Elbedour et al., 2003). Culture and community therefore play
a large role in cognitive development.
Elbedour et al. (2003) maintained that genetics influenced the adolescents with three or
more mother figures compared to those with two. The former had higher scores than the latter,
which lead the researchers to postulate that polygamous marriages with three wives were more
likely to have greater genetic variability among mates. In other words, the more wives men had,
the less likely they were to be blood related, which would prove beneficial for their offspring.
Outline
I.
II.
III.
Introduction
a. Researchers studied influence of family marital structure on intelligence levels of
adolescents in the Bedouin community in Israel.
b. Large family size = Higher social status.
c. Researchers predicted polygamous structure would lead to lower adolescent
intelligence scores compared to monogamous structure.
Participants
a. 210 students (mean age = 15)
i. 84 from monogamous families
ii. 114 from polygamous families
1. 76 from two-wife families
2. 36 from three-wife families
3. 2 from four-wife families
iii. 12 didn’t provide information
b. 101 had parents who were blood relatives
Instrument
IV.
V.
a. Raven’s Progressive Matrices (RPM) to test intelligence
Results
a. No difference in scores of those in polygamous families compared to those in
monogamous families.
b. Those in two-wife families scored lower than those in three- and four-wife
families.
c. Those with related parents scored lower than those with unrelated parents.
d. Father’s education had a positive, but marginal, effect on adolescent intelligence.
Discussion
a. No perceived detrimental effects of polygamy. Reasons:
i. Age of participants
ii. Highly collectivist society
iii. Polygamy not stigmatized (large family = higher status)
b. Those in three- or four-wife families were less likely to have blood related
parents, could explain their better scores.