Chapter Sample Questions of Totem and Taboo - Study Guide by Sigmund Freud

analogies are not precise - unless as some have suggested, the Oedipus complex is itself, the source of the horror of incest and exogamy and as such a source of totemism - future research needed here.

(3) Critically evaluate the theories concerning the origin of totemism and its relation to exogamy.

What are the various theories that have been proposed?
(a) Nominalist (b) Sociological (c) Psychological (d) Historical.

Cite evidence and the key names behind each. What are the arguments against each?
Conclude - we are still in need of a lot of further research to clarify this further. What are the two view points concerning the relation between exogamy and totemism?

(a) that they are intimately connected (b) that they are independent

Cite the evidence proposed for each and the main names behind them. What are the arguments for and against each?

Conclude - they are intimately related, but whether one may have preceded the other etc. is still unclear -look at the evidence for this.

Overall conclusion - the origins of totemism and exogamy appear to be intricately linked and thus along with other points mentioned above, they are clearly related. However, this conclusion does not rule out the prospect of different sources for them - again more research into exogamy and its development - possibly from looking at young children today - is needed.