Child care and influence among the mekranoti of central brazil

Various researchers have argued that women's influence may be limited by child-care requirements. This study uses quantified data from the Mekranoti-Kayapó of Central Brazil to examine some specific arguments. Among the Mekranoti, women who spend more time caring for children rate lower on influence. But the reasons for this correlation are less clear. Child care does not seem to hinder a woman's ability to contribute to subsistence. Nor does it seem to have much effect on the personality characteristics that might affect the leadership potential of child caretakers. Child care may, however, restrict a woman's ability to acquire the personal connections needed to exercise influence.This article is based on a chapter from the author's doctoral dissertation. The author thanks Daniel R. Gross, Carol R. Ember, Madeline Ritter, Nancy Flowers, Daniel G. Bates, and Robert A. LeVine for their many helpful suggestions in preparing the study. The author also thanks various people for help in carrying out the fieldwork on which they study is based: S. Gross, G. Verswijver, R. Thomson, K. Jefferson, M. Stout, F. Leoi, and R. Cardoso de Oliveria, G. Diaz, K. Taylor, A. Ramos, G. Zarur, R. De Barros Laraia, L. Vidal, D. Montagner Melatti, J. C. Melatti, and J. Bispo dos Santos. The study was generously supported by NSF grants BNS 76-03378, BNS 73-25295, and BNS 78-24706.