Some multivariate tests for differences in sexual dimorphism between human populations

Abstract

Two multivariate statistical tests are presented for examining differences in sexual dimorphism between human populations. One test refers to general differences in sexual dimorphism; the other, only to differences in size aspects of sexual dimorphism. There is no current resolution to the complementary problem of testing for differences of direction in sexual dimorphism. By applying the tests to a comparison of sexual dimorphism in 26 samples of skulls from a world-wide distribution of human populations, significant results (at alpha = 0.05) were found in the majority of cases with the general test, and in a minority of cases with the size test.