Year: 1991 Source: Perceptual and Motor Skills, v.73, no.3, pt.1, (December 1991), p.742 SIEC No: 19920350

Durkheim (1897) predicted that suicide would be more common in societies with low social integration. Small nations, with populations in the thousands, would have higher levels of social integration since they would show greater resemblance to preindustrial society. This hypothesis was tested using a sample of 16 Caribbean islands which report suicide rates to the World Health Organization. Results showed that rates were higher in the more populous islands, confirming Durkheim’s prediction.