Pelto, Pertti J.
"As anthropologists become more and more accustomed to counting things and giving numerical statements concerning frequencies of behaviors, traits, and
events, as well as computing expressions of the covariations among these cultural elements, the tasks of recording, storing, and analyzing these data become more
and more complicated. Moreover, because we tend to be holistic in general orientation, we prefer to manipulate rather large numbers of different variables simultaneously. That is, none of us is particularly happy with the examination of individual cultural items, or pairs of items, torn out of the context of broad behavioral patterns to which they are related. Anthropological analysis usually involves
a multivariable strategy. Beyond a certain point the tasks of storing and manipulating these data become
so enormous that we lose track of our materials, or our inventory and management of the data become overly cumbersome and time consuming. At some point in the growing complexity and perplexity we can save time and energy by turning to electronic computers for assistance."
