George Murdoch

George Peter Murdock (1897 - 1985) received his doctorate from Yale University. During World War II, he worked on a project to develop information about the South Pacific for the War Department, and this study required the translation and use of German and Japanese materials. One may assume that his interest in Cross-Cultural Studies, the comparison of traits from many societies, stemmed from this work. Later, he helped establish the Human Relations Area Files at Yale University. He also taught at the University of Maryland and University of Pittsburgh.

His interest in collecting many cultural traits for comparitive purposes led to such publications as: Atlas of World Cultures (1981), Outline of Cultural Materials (1982), and Outline of World Cultures (1983).