Chapter 9

Marriage and the Family

What We Will Learn Is the family found in all cultures? What functions do family and marriage

systems perform? Why do all societies have incest

taboos? What economic considerations are

associated with marriage in the world’s contemporary societies?

Definition of Family Social unit characterized by:

economic cooperation management of reproduction child rearing common residence. a male and female adult 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 - there is a natural

aversion to sexual intercourse among those who have grown up together.

Inbreeding - mating between close kin produces a higher incidence of genetic defects.

Incest Taboos: Theories Family Disruption– mating between

family members would create intense jealousies.

Expanding Social Alliances - marrying outside the 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

MonogamyMarriage of one man to

one woman.

PolygynyMarriage of a man to two or

more women.

PolyandryMarriage 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.

Divorce Rates in the United States, 1950 to 2000

YearDivorce Rate/1000

Population

1950 2.6

1960 2.2

1970 3.5

1980 5.2

1990 4.7

2000 4.2

Factors in the 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%).

Marital Status of U.S. Population: 1980 –1999

1980 1990 1995 1999

Never Married

20.3 22.2 22.9 23.9

Married 65.5 61.9 60.959.5

Widowed 8.0 7.6 7.06.7

Divorced 6.2 8.3 9.29.9

Family Structures Nuclear family – Comprises wife,

husband, and children Extended family – A larger social unit,

comprising relatives from three or more generations.

Quick Quiz

1. ________ is a socially approved union between a man and woman that regulates the sexual and economic rights and obligations between them.

a) Reciprocity

b) Pair bonding

c) Marriage

d) Mating

Answer: c Marriage is a socially approved union

between a man and woman that regulates the sexual and economic rights and obligations between them.

2. The formation of families through marriage serves several important functions, including

a) the creation of fairly stable relationships between men and women that regulate sexual mating and reproduction.

b) the establishment of new units of production to meet the goals of the society.

c) the establishment of groups within the culture to maintain the taboos relating to pair bonding.

d) creating new members for the policing forces to maintain stability and defend the group.

Answer: a The formation of families through

marriage serves several important functions, including the creation of fairly stable relationships between men and women that regulate sexual mating and reproduction.

3. The ________ addresses the prohibition on mating with certain categories of relatives.

a) postpartum sex taboo

b) ingestion taboo

c) marriage laws

d) incest taboo

Answer: d The incest taboo addresses the

prohibition on mating with certain categories of relatives.

4. Unlike societies with considerable material wealth, small-scale societies are more likely to offer ________ to the woman's family.

a) bride service

b) reciprocal exchange

c) Brideprice

d) a dowry

Answer: a Unlike societies with considerable

material wealth, small-scale societies are more likely to offer bride service to the woman's family.