2018; Minocher, Duda, and Jaeggi 2019), but not in societies with intensive agriculture. Rosenblatt, Paul C., and David Unangst. Ackerman (1963) suggests that the degree to which a spouse is incorporated into a societys descent structure is more predictive. Korotayev, Andrey V., and Joseph Cardinale. These exercises can be done individually or as part of classroom assignments. This would result in a patchwork of small plots of land controlled by different groups. Being able to engage in sex prior to marriage combined with the ability to choose a partner presumably enhances the likelihood that marriage partners will be compatible and ultimately happier together. Marriage and Family in C. R. Ember, ed. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. Polygynous societies appear to have responded to jealousy with certain common customs and rules that include: having separate quarters and kitchens for nonsororal co-wives, having rules about husbands sharing resources equitably, and having rules for sleeping with co-wives in rotation (C. R. Ember, Ember, and Peregrine 2019, 245). Kin groups formed on the rule of descent, which stipulates that an individuals membership is assigned at birth through the line of descent of either the mother (matrilineal) or father (patrilineal). Extended family households range from small two-unit families, to large families with 3-4 generations of related individuals. Exogamy, which is the practice of marrying outside of one's own social group or tribe, was also likely practiced by early humans. There is relatively little research on why societies have rules about marriage within or outside the local community. Simple exogamy is in practice in the Indian tribes and North American. The hypothesis is not only strongly predictive, but also predicts well in both agricultural and non-agricultural societies. In addition to blood relatives, marriage to members of a specific totem, clan (s) or other group (s) may be forbidden. 2005. 2016. Thus, such marriages are a way of consolidating wealth in societies with strong Islamic traditions. An increase in kinship relationships (the bond of being related). Rainfall variability is likely to produce uneven productivity between communities and exogamy provides more opportunities for movement to even out resources. Genomic transformation and social organization during the Copper Age-Bronze Age transition in southern . Starkweather, Katherine E., and Raymond Hames. 1960. However, there are also logical flaws to this argument. Why? One example of exogamy can be found in the Hindu caste system in India. When you use one ofthese affiliate links,the company compensates us. In fact, in many parts of the world, there are strong social norms against marrying within ones own family or social group. Schaden, Egon, and Lars-Peter Lewinsohn. It is likely that originally exogamy evolved as a way to reduce competition among members of the same social group for mates and ensured that individuals had a larger pool of potential mates to choose from. The term exogamy isnt one thats thrown around in everyday conversation. There also may be broader societal consequences. J. F. McLennan[8] holds that exogamy was due originally to a scarcity of women among small bands. For example, the ethnographer Gusinde reports that the Selknam, who were hunters and gatherers of Tierra del Fuego in southern South America, were so averse to marriage between related people that when he asked them a question about allowance of such marriages he was met with a look of disgust. Australian Aboriginal people live in family or kin groups. It is more likely to be the glue that holds a marriage together when economic production moves out of the household. Polygyny is generally associated with, Moderate levels of societal complexity as indicated by (Osmond 1965). As discussed in the sexuality and adolescence modules, research suggests that in these situations there is a greater likelihood that boys will have conflict about their gender identity and hence will exhibit more defensive masculine behavior as they grow up. Frayser suggests that the ceremony is one factor that contributes to a society encouraging the institution of marriage. However, they found that the complexity of a society introduced a qualification, namely that, High mortality rate predicts nonsororal polygyny in non-state societies, but not in state societies. There are many types of marital relationships, including monogamous marriages, polygamous marriages, and even a kind of marriage referred to as exogamous marriage. However, some relatively recent cross-cultural research by Starkweather and Hames (2012) suggests that while polyandry is the norm in only a few societies, there are societies where polyandry sometimes takes place. Edvard Westermarck said an aversion to marriage between blood relatives or near kin emerged with a parental deterrence of incest. Divorce rate? Exogamy Our next governing rule of marriage is exogamy. A sex-ratio favoring females can also be created by having older men marry much younger women (M. Ember 1984). In such ceremonies, males are often asked to demonstrate their masculinity by showing little pain during genital surgeries or in special tests of fortitude. Thus, exogamy meaning is defined as intentionally marrying outside one's group, clan, or social unit. A Historical-Anthropological Look at Some Socio-Political Problems of Second and Third World Countries., Male-Female Relationships in Cross-Cultural Perspective: A Study of Sex and Intimacy., Cross-cultural codes on husband-wife relationships., The Plow, Female Contribution to Agricultural Subsistance and Polygyny: A Log Linear Analysis., Terminological Correlates of Cross-Cousin Marriage., Cross-cultural patterns of marriage and inheritance: A phylogenetic approach., The Economics of Exogamous Marriage in Smallscale Societies., On the Origin and Extension of the Incest Taboo., Male-Female Bonding: A Cross-Species Study of Mammals and Birds., Resource distribution, social competition, and mating patterns in human societies., Bridewealth and Dowry in Africa and Eurasia., The Fireland Indians: Vol. Why? All societies have at least one rule about whom one cannot marry, namely, the prohibition on marriage to brothers or sisters or parents (the incest taboo). Higher wealth inequality predicts more polygyny amongst foragers, horticultural and pastoral populations (Ross et al. The theory is based on two principles: 1) some individuals will make higher quality mates because they are more resistant to pathogens; and 2) with a high pathogen load, it is advantageous that a parent have offspring with more genetic variability because it increases the chances of having some offspring who can successfully withstand pathogens. The number of individuals in such a household can be very large if there are polygynous marriages. For example, a moiety might be composed of the totems Raven and Eagle. It is one of the most common marriage practices in the world, and it has been observed in societies all over the globe Exogamy is the practice of marrying someone from outside one's own community. Substantial transactions make it more difficult to marry which increases the impetus to practice stealing a bride (although sometimes this is with her approval). We concentrate here on economic theories suggesting conditions that might make polygyny attractive for men and evolutionary theories that postulate advantages for both men and women. If one person has a faulty gene, breeding outside his group increases the chances that his partner will have another functional type gene and their child may not suffer the defect. Why? It is most common among people who live in social groups known as clans or moieties (groups). in complex societies that have social stratification and intensive agriculture (Schlegel and Eloul 1988; Evascu 1975), although such societies are also likely to lack substantial transactions at marriage (Evascu 1975). Racial exogamy is when individuals marry outside of their own race. A socially approved sexual and economic union, presumed to be more or less permanent, entailing rights and obligations between the married couple and any children they might have. Cultural exogamy is the custom of marrying outside a specified group of people to which a person belongs. Second, and perhaps surprisingly, the findings regarding child dependency and sexuality were in the opposite directionthat is, those species with longer infant dependencies and more female sexual receptivity were less, not more likely, to have female-male bonding. The wealth can be transmitted to outside family. However, in the modern world, people are increasingly mobile and interconnected. Affiliations: Structural Determinants of Differential Divorce Rates., Sexual Selection Under Parental Choice: The Role of Parents in the Evolution of Human Mating., Sexual Selection Under Parental Choice: A Revision to the Model., Individual Mate Choice in an Arranged Marriage Context: Evidence from the Standard Cross-cultural Sample., Bride Theft and Raiding for Wives in Cross-Cultural Perspective., Explaining Cross-National Differences in Polygyny Intensity., Solidarity, Stratification and Sentiment: The Unilateral Cross-Cousin Marriage According to the Theories of Levi-Strauss, Leach, and Homans and Schneider., Causes of Conjugal Dissolution: A Cross-cultural Study., Societal Complexity and Familial Complexity: Evidence for the Curvilinear Hypothesis., Nuclear Vs. Extended Family, Monogamy Vs. Polygyny: Democracy Vs. Non-Democracy? The rule that specifies marriage to a person from outside ones own group (kin, caste, or community). At no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission, which helps us run this blog and keep our in-depth content free of charge for all our readers. Confinement of womens reproductive potential to one man (Frayser 1985). Ackerman (1963) finds that. Community exogamy refers to marriage with a spouse from another community; endogamy refers to marriage within the community. Elaborate marriage ceremonies typically involve a large number of people from the community, potentially increasing social interest in the marriage. Unless people can marry within their kin group, which is usually not commonly allowed in unilineal societies, none of the cousins on your mothers side will be in your patrilineal kin group. While first cousin marriage may have higher risk of offspring carrying harmful double recessive genes, severe population loss makes it more difficult to find eligible mates in societies that are already relatively small. (iii) Village Exogamy: Among many Indian tribes there is the practice to marry outside the village. Exogamy is a widely practiced marriage custom whereby individuals marry outside of their social group. The second may be related to that finding that polygyny is associated with lower warmth toward children presumably because mothers have little help in childcare (Korotayev and Bondarenko 2000). 2016. exogamy, also called out-marriage, custom enjoining marriage outside ones own group. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,100],'anthropologyreview_org-leader-4','ezslot_9',146,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-anthropologyreview_org-leader-4-0');Ethnic exogamy is when individuals marry outside of their own ethnic group. Strengthening of the genetic pool, thus reducing birth defects. A type of polygyny where only a limited number of men, usually those of greater wealth or social status, have multiple wives simultaneously. One important predictor is whether or not women engage in craft specialization or work outside the householdwhen they do so, there is a lower likelihood of arranged marriage (Hull 1989). my ek-sg--m plural exogamies 1 : marriage outside of a specific group especially as required by custom or law 2 : sexual reproduction between individuals (as of a particular species) that are not closely related exogamous ek-sg--ms adjective or exogamic ek-s-gam-ik More from Merriam-Webster on exogamy About 75% of societies known to anthropology involve at least one explicit and substantial transaction related to marriage, and most societies have more than one transaction (Schlegel and Eloul 1988; Huber, Danaher, and Breedlove 2011b). Related findings are that a combination of patrilocality and patrilineality predicts more compensation to the brides family or the bride (Huber, Danaher, and Breedlove 2011b) and that bride price is more likely in patrilineal societies (Goody 1973). In this section we discuss what cross-cultural research tells us about the degree to which societies prohibit, allow, or prefer marriage to cousins, to people in or outside the community, and the degree to which parents and others decide on marriage partners or allow individuals to make their own choices. In addition to blood relatives, marriage to members of a specific totem, clan (s) or other group (s) may be forbidden. Unlike most online dictionaries, we want you to find your word's meaning quickly. 3) Women less dependent on men. Dr. Alston has taught intro psychology, child psychology, and developmental psychology at 2-year and 4-year schools. 1965. Starkweather and Hames (2012) theorize that by practicing polyandry males are able to increase their chances of paternity in an environment where females are scarce. The minority of societies have independent family households. 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