The Problem of Informant Accuracy: The Validity of Retrospective Data

Abstract

Lee Sailer Department of Anthropology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260 A measurement whose accuracy is completely unknown has no use whatever [Wilson ( 1 07. p. 232)]. A serious obstacle in the use of replications for increasing accuracy is the tendency to get closely agreeing repetitions for irrelevant reasons [Wilson (107. p. 253)1. My people don't lie to me (Anonymous Anthropologist).