Chapter 9 Marriage and the Family

Chapter Outline Marriage and the Family Marriage and the Family: Functions Mate Selection: Who Is Out of Bounds? Mate Selection: Whom Should You Marry? Number of Spouses Economic Considerations of Marriage Divorce Residence Patterns: Where Do Wives and Husbands Live? Family Structure

Definition of Family Social unit characterized by: economic cooperation management of reproduction child rearing common residence. Includes male and female adults who maintain a socially approved sexual relationship.

Marriage Defined Customs formalizing the relationship between male and female adults within the family. Regulates the sexual and economic rights and obligations between a married couple. Usually involves an explicit contract or understanding and is entered into with the assumption that it will be permanent.

Social Functions of Marriage Creates relationships between men and women that regulate mating and reproduction. Provides a mechanism for regulating the sexual division of labor. Creates a set of family relationships that provides for the material, educational, and emotional needs of children.

Incest Taboos: Theories Natural Aversion Theory - there is a natural aversion to sexual intercourse among those who have grown up together. Inbreeding Theory - mating between close kin produces a higher incidence of genetic defects.

Incest Taboos: Theories Family Disruption Theory – mating between family members would create intense jealousies and the family would not be able to function. Theory of Expanding Social Alliances - marrying outside the immediate family creates a wider network of interfamily alliances.

Restrictions on Marriage Partners Cultures restrict choice of marriage partners through: Exogamy Endogamy Arranged marriages Preferential cousin marriage Levirate and sororate

Number of Spouses Monogamy Polygyny Polyandry Marriage of one man to one woman. Polygyny Marriage of a man to two or more women. Polyandry Marriage of a woman to two or more men.

Marriage: Transfer of Rights Marriage often includes the transfer of certain rights between the marrying parties: Rights of sexual access. Legal rights to children. Rights of spouses to each other’s economic goods and services.

Economic Transactions of Marriage Bridewealth Bride service Dowry Woman exchange Reciprocal exchange

Bridewealth Compensation given upon marriage by the family of the groom to the family of the bride. Approximately 46% of all societies give substantial bridewealth payment as part of the marriage process. Bridewealth is most widely found in Africa, where it is estimated that 82% of societies require the payment of bridewealth.

Bride Service Men give labor to the bride’s family in exchange for a wife. He often moves in with his bride’s family, works or hunts for them, and serves a probationary period of several weeks to several years. Found in approximately 14% of societies.

Dowry Transfer of goods or money from bride’s family to the groom or the groom’s family. Practiced in less than 3% of societies. If the marriage ended in divorce, the woman was entitled to take the dowry with her.

Divorce Across Cultures Divorce arrangements found in the many cultures of the world vary widely. Organizations such as the Roman Catholic Church prohibit divorce outright. A Hopi woman from Arizona could divorce her husband easily by simply putting his belongings outside the door.

Factors in Rising U.S. Divorce Rate Industrialization and urbanization have undermined traditional functions of the family. Less time spent with family members and less willingness to make sacrifices for the good of the family. Western culture emphasizes romantic love as the basis for marriage. Less stigma attached to divorce than in the past.

Marriage Residence Patterns Patrilocal: Couple lives with or near relatives of the husband’s father (69%). Matrilocal: Couple lives with or near the relatives of the wife (13%).

Marriage Residence Patterns Avunculocal: Couple lives with or near the husband’s mother’s brother (4%). Ambilocal: Couple has a choice of living with relatives of the wife or the husband (9%). Neolocal: Couple forms independent residence away from relatives (5%).

Family Structures Nuclear family – Comprises wife, husband, and children. Extended family – A larger social unit, comprising relatives from three or more generations.