her factors
in the group problem of reproduction.

PART II

BY IVA LOWTHER PETERS, PH.D.

THE INSTITUTIONALIZED SEX TABOO

I. THE PRIMITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARD SEX AND WOMANHOOD

Primitive social control. Its rigidity. Its necessity. The universality
of this control in the form of taboos. Connection between the universal
attitude of primitive peoples toward woman as shown in the
Institutionalized Sex Taboo and the magico-religious belief in Mana.
Relation of Mana to Taboo. Discussion of Sympathetic Magic and the
associated idea of danger from contact. Difficulties in the way of an
inclusive definition of Taboo. Its dual nature. Comparison of concepts
of Crawley, Frazer, Marett, and others. Conclusion that Taboo is
Negative Mana. Contribution of modern psychology to the study of Taboo.
Freud's analogy between the dualistic attitude toward the tabooed object
and the ambivalence of the emotions. The understanding of this dualism
together with the primitive belief in Mana and Sympathetic Magic
explains much in the attitude of man toward woman. The vast amount of
evidence in the taboos of many peoples of dualism in the attitude toward
woman. Possible physiological explanation of this dualistic attitude of
man toward woman found in a period before self-control had in some
measure replaced social control, in the reaction of weakness and disgust
following sex festivals.

II. FROM THE DAWN OF HISTORY: WOMAN AS SAINT AND WITCH

Taboos of first chapter indicate that in the early ages the fear of
contamination by woman predominated. Later emphasis fell on her mystic
and uncanny power. Ancient fertility cults. Temple prostitution,
dedication of virgins, etc. Ancient priestesses and prophetesses.
Medicine early developed by woman added to belief in her power. Woman's
psychic quality of intuition: its origin--theories--conclusion that this
quality is probably physiological in origin, but aggravated by taboo
repressions. Transformation in attitude toward woman in the early
Christian period. Psychological reasons for the persistence in religion
of a Mother Goddess. Development of the Christian concept. Preservation
of ancient woman cults as demonology. Early Christian attitude toward
woman as unclean and in league with demons. Culmination of belief in
demonic power of woman in witchcraft persecutions. All women affected by
the belief in witches and in the uncleanness of woman. Gradual
development on the basis of the beliefs outli