Abstract
By reviewing some of the author’s work, this publication attempts to show how much multivariate distances may be useful tools for answering questions of a non-classificatory nature. It focuses on the potential usefulness of following a number of lines of logical analysis of distance matrices. It does not attempt to discuss how much information is lost or distorted when the most accurate statistics must be renounced, as has been the case for anthropometric distances in the author’s work: Mahalanobis’ D2 was used whenever all raw data were available, \(\text C_{\text{H}}^{2}\) when only means and SD’s were available, and Δ2 was used whenever all raw data were available, and Δg (Hiernaux, 1965) when only means were available on all populations. The apparent fruitfulness of the analysis of even the rawest statistics seems to justify giving up more sophisticated ones when it permits the inclusion of key populations in the set, e.g., in a study of the populations of the African rainforest, the Mbuti Pygmies whose anthropometry is known by their arithmetic means only.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Fraser, G.R., E.R. Giblett, A.G. Motulsky: 1966, Population genetic studies in the Congo. III. Blood groups (ABO, MNSs, Rh, Jsa). American Journal of Human Genetics 18: 546–552.
Gower, J.C.: 1966, Multivariate analysis and multidimensional geometry. Statistician 17: 13–28.
Hiernaux, J.: 1956, Analyse de la variation des caractères physiques humains en une région de l’Afrique centrale: Ruanda- Urundi et Kivu. Tervuren: Annales du Musée Royal du Congo Belge, Sciences de l’Homme, Anthropologie, vol. 3.
Hiernaux, J.: 1965, Une nouvelle mesure de distance anthropologique entre populations, utilisant simultanément des fréquences géniques, des pourcentages de traits descriptifs et des moyennes métriques. Comptes-Rendus de l’Académie des Sciences de Paris 260: 1748–1750.
Hiernaux, J.: 1972, “The analysis of multivariate biological distances between human populations: principles, and application to sub-Saharan Africa” in The assessment of population affinities in man. Edited by J.S. Weiner and J. Huizinga, 96–114. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Hiernaux, J. : 1973, “Numerical taxonomy of man: an application to a set of thirty-two African populations” in Physical anthropology and its extending horizons. S.S. Sarkar memorial volume. Edited by A. Basu et al., 151-l6l. Calcutta: Orient Longman.
Hiernaux, J.: 1979, “Adaptation of morphology to climate in central Africa” in Physiological and morphological adaptation and evolution. Edited by W.A. Stini, 89–96. The Hague: Mouton.
Hiernaux, J., E. Vincke, D. Commelin: 1976, Les Oto et les Twa des Konda. L’Anthropologie 80: 449–464.
Lalouel, J.M.: 1973, “Topology of population structure” in Genetic Structure of Populations. Edited by N.E. Morton, 139–152. Honolulu: University Press of Hawaii.
Lewontin, R.C.: 1974, The genetic basis of evolutionary change. New York: Columbia University Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1984 D. Reidel Publishing Company
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Hiernaux, J. (1984). The Use of Multivariate Distances for Non-Classificatory Purposes in Anthropobiology. In: Van Vark, G.N., Howells, W.W. (eds) Multivariate Statistical Methods in Physical Anthropology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6357-3_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6357-3_9
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-009-6359-7
Online ISBN: 978-94-009-6357-3
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive