BOOK BRIEF

Coming of Age in Samoa: A Psychological Study of Primitive Youth for Western Civilisation

Margaret Mead
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Coming of Age in Samoa: A Psychological Study of Primitive Youth for Western Civilisation

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2001

Book Brief

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Margaret Mead

Coming of Age in Samoa: A Psychological Study of Primitive Youth for Western Civilisation

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2001
Book Details
Pages

223

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Genre
Classic Fiction

Social Science

Anthropology
Setting

Samoa • 1920s

Topic
Anthropology

Education

Psychology
Publication Year

2001

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Coming of Age in Samoa: A Psychological Study of Primitive Youth for Western Civilisation by Margaret Mead examines the lives of Samoan adolescents, emphasizing cultural influences on their development. Mead's anthropological study explores how person-first experiences and social environments shape transitions into adulthood, offering insights into cultural variation in personal growth and identity formation.

Informative

Contemplative

Challenging

Reviews & Readership

3.9

3,289 ratings

53%

Loved it

34%

Mixed feelings

13%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Margaret Mead's Coming of Age in Samoa offers a groundbreaking study on adolescence in a different cultural context, praised for its insights into cultural relativity and its challenge to Western norms. However, critiques highlight methodological flaws and question Mead's interpretations. Though influential, some argue its scientific rigor is lacking.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Coming of Age in Samoa: A Psychological Study of Primitive Youth for Western Civilisation?

A reader drawn to Coming of Age in Samoa by Margaret Mead likely enjoys anthropology and cross-cultural studies. They appreciate works like The Interpretation of Cultures by Clifford Geertz and Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond, seeking insight into societal norms and human behavior within different cultures.

3.9

3,289 ratings

53%

Loved it

34%

Mixed feelings

13%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

223

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Genre
Classic Fiction

Social Science

Anthropology
Setting

Samoa • 1920s

Topic
Anthropology

Education

Psychology
Publication Year

2001

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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