Coming of age in Samoa

by Margaret Mead

SAMPLE RECORD SHEET FILLED OUT FOR EACH GIRL

Household numberGirl’s numberName Age(How estimated)
MataiRankFather RankFather’s residence
MotherResidence of motherEither parent been married before?
Economic status of householdChurch membership of father, mother, guardian
Menstruated?Date of commencement?Pain RegularityEstimate of physical development
Grade in government school?In pastor’s school?Any knowledge of English?
Foreign experience (outside Taū)Physical defects
Order of birth?
Best friends in order?
Test ScoresReligious attitudes
Colour naming
Rote memory for digits
Digit symbol substitution
Opposites
Picture Interpretation
Ball and Field
Judgments on individuals in the villagePersonality
Most beautiful girl
Handsomest boy
Wisest man
Cleverest womanAttitude towards household
Worst boy
Worst girl
Best boy
Best girl
Attitude towards contemporaries

TABLE I

No.	Name	Time Elapsed Since Puberty	Periodicity	Pain[12]	Masturbation	Homosexual Experience	Heterosexual Experience	Residence in Pastor’s Household
1.	Luna	3 years	monthly	abdo.	yes	yes	yes	no
2.	Masina	3 ”	”	”	”	”	”	”
3.	Losa	2 ”	”	abdo. back	no	”	no	yes
4.	Sona	3 ”	semi-monthly	”	yes	”	”	”
5.	Loto	2 months	monthly	back	”	”	”	”
6.	Pala	6 ”	”	none	”	”	”	no
7.	Aso	18 ”	semi-monthly	back	”	no	”	”
8.	Tolo	3 ”	”	extreme	”	”	”	”
9.	Lotu	3 years	monthly	”	”	yes	yes	”
10.	Tulipa	2 months	”	abdo. back	”	”	no	yes
14.	Lita	2 years	”	back	”	”	”	no
16.	Namu	3 ”	”	”	”	”	yes	”
17.	Ana	2 ”	Every three months	”	”	”	no	yes
18.	Lua	3 months	monthly	”	no	no	”	no
19.	Tolu	4 years	semi-monthly	”	yes	yes	yes	”
21.	Mala	2 months	monthly	”	”	no	no	”
22.	Fala	1 year	”	”	”	yes	yes	”
23.	Lola	1 ”	semi-monthly	abdo.	”	”	”	”
23a.	Tulipa	3 years	monthly	back	”	”	”	”
24.	Leta	2 months	”	none	”	”	”	yes
25.	Ela	2 years	”	extreme	”	”	”	”
27.	Mina	5 ”	”	”	”	no	no	”
28.	Moana	4 ”	bi-monthly	abdo. back	”	”	yes	no
29.	Luina	4 ”	monthly	extreme	”	”	no	yes
30.	Sala	3 ”	semi-monthly	”	yes	”	yes	no

[12] Abdomen—pain only there; back—pain only there; extreme—so characterized by girl, never so ill that she couldn’t work.

TABLE II

FAMILY STRUCTURE

No. Pre-Ads.	Name	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21
1.	Tuna	1	3																		x	x
2.	Vala					1-	3-		x			x				x
3.	Pele	3	4																		x
4.	Timu							x	x											x
5.	Suna							x					x							x
6.	Pola		3	2	1										x						x
7.	Tua	1	4	1												x
8.	Sina	1	1	2	3																x	x
9.	Fiva	1		1	3														x
10.	Ula	1	1	1	2															x		x
11.	Siva	1	4						x										x
Midways
1.	Tasi	1		4									x								x	x
2.	Fitu	1		2	2										x							x
3.	Mata	1	1		3								x								x	x
4.	Vi	3	3	1	1														x
6.	Ipu	2	1						x			x								x
7.	Selu	3
8.	Pula	2		1	1								x									x
9.	Meta	3		1	1															x
10.	Maliu		2	2	2										x						x
11.	Fiatia					3-	2-					x	x			1⁄2	1⁄2	x
13.	Tino	1		2	1								x				x		x
14.	Vina	1	2	2	1																x	x
15.	Talo			2	4															x
Adolescents
1.	Luna	2	5		1									x		x		x			x
2.	Masina	3		2	2				x										x
3.	Losa			2	1										x						x	x
4.	Sona	2						x					x						x
5.	Loto	4	1					x	x										x
6.	Pala	3	3		1																x
7.	Iso	1	3		1				x								x
8.	Tolo	1	2						x										x
9.	Lotu				5																x	x
10.	Tulipa	5	3
14.	Lita	4		2	1														x
16.	Namu			4	2									x							x	x
17.	Ana						3-					x							x
18.	Lua			7	1
19.	Tolu								x								x		x
21.	Mala	3	1					x	x										x
22.	Fala	1	3	3	1						x	x							x
23.	Lola	1	2		2			x								x			x
23a.	Tulipa	2	2										x					x		x
24.	Leta	1	4													x
25.	Ela	2	1	1					x								x
27.	Mina		1					x				x		x			x
28.	Moana	1	4	1		1x	1x				x										x	x
29.	Luina						1					x	x
30.	Sala	3	1						x								x

Column	Subject
1	Number of older brothers
2	Number of older sisters
3	Number of younger brothers
4	Number of younger sisters
5	Half brother, plus, number older, minus, number younger
6	Half sister, plus, number older, minus, number younger
7	Mother dead
8	Father dead
9	Child of mother’s second marriage
10	Child of father’s second marriage
11	Mother remarried
12	Father remarried
13	Residence with both parents and patrilocal
14	Residence with both parents and matrilocal
15	Residence with mother only
16	Residence with father only
17	Parents divorced
18	Residence with paternal relatives
19	Residence with maternal relatives
20	Father is matai of household
21	Residence in a biological family, i.e., household of parents, children, and no more than two additional relatives.

x in the table means the presence of trait. For example, x in column 7 means that the mother is dead.

ANALYSIS OF TABLE ON FAMILY STRUCTURE

There were among the sixty-eight girls:
7	only children
15	youngest children
5	oldest children
5	with half brother or sister in the same household
5	whose mother was dead
14	whose father was dead
3	who were children of mother’s second marriage
2	children of father’s second marriage
7	whose mother had remarried
5	whose father had remarried
4	residence with both parents patrilocal
8	residence with both parents matrilocal
9	residence with mother only
1	residence with father only
7	parents divorced
12	residence with paternal relatives (without either parent)
6	residence with maternal relatives (without either parent)
15,	or 30%, whose fathers were heads of households
12	who belonged to a qualified biological family (i.e., a family which during my stay on the island comprised only two relatives beside the parents and children).