Citation

Hurlburt WC. Am. J. Sociol. 1932; 37(5): 714-719.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1932, University of Chicago Press)

DOI

10.1086/215853

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Since the cyclical fluctuations of the suicide rate arise from a multiplicity of causes, it is useless to attempt to establish a causal relationship between business activity and suicide by reasoning a priori. Empirical tests, however, indicate that the suicide rate tends to fluctuate roughly (in an inverse manner) with the rate of business activity. Changes in the suicide rate are contrasted with changes in business activity by the use of a number of indexes, but all yield substantially similar results.