Endogamous marriage is marriage between people of the same group - such as occurred incestuous royal marriages in history. It maintains healthy levels of diversity in the genetic pool. She coedited. Of the 148 societies in the Standard Cross Cultural Sample which Broude and Green coded 31.1% have full individual choice, 17.6% have individual choice that requires parental approval, 3.4% have individual choice that also require parental arrangement, 18.2% have either individual choice or arranged marriage, 16.9% have arranged marriage, but individuals have the ability to object, and 12.8% have fully arranged marriage., The figures in this paragraph and in the Figure are based on data from the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample (Murdock and White 1969); these data on polygyny were retrieved from D-PLACE variable SCCS211. dowry To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. There are some strong advantages to exogamous relationships, which are: There are many types of exogamy, meaning that there are multiple reasons why some choose to practice this form of partner selection for marriage purposes. Endogamy: the practice of marrying within ones own social group. Lee, Gary R., and Lorene Hemhill Stone. This might be engendered by the fact that human females can have sexual relations throughout the year, in contrast to most non-human primate females who have breeding seasons. Gaulin, Steven J. C., and James S. Boster. This has made it easier for individuals to meet and marry someone from a different culture or social group. [citation needed], Last edited on 27 February 2023, at 09:11, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "An association between the kinship and fertility of human couples", "Comment on "An association between the kinship and fertility of human couples", "Population admixture, biological invasions and the balance between local adaptation and inbreeding depression", "The effect of inbreeding on early childhood mortality: twelve generations of an Amish settlement", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Exogamy&oldid=1141878744, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 09:11. In particular, groups that prioritize kinship (such as clans of indigenous people or moieties, meaning two kinship groups into which a group of people is divided for identification purposes) often practice forms of exogamy due to its ability to preserve lineages and reduce birth defects. To understand what a cross-cousin is versus a parallel cousin, it helps to think of the term cross as meaning related to you by crossing gender in the parental generation. Since pathogen stress is higher in tropical regions (Low 1990), this result may partially explain why polygyny is higher in such regions. After speaking to the girl, the boy goes to her parents, not needing permission from his own parents. Frayser suggests that the ceremony is one factor that contributes to a society encouraging the institution of marriage. Rosenblatt, Paul C., and Walter J. Hillabrant. (Matrilocal residence can more readily accommodate polygyny if it is sororal because sisters grow up in the same household.). As we have discussed, most societies forbid any cousin marriage, but a great deal of anthropological theorizing involves explanations of the different types of allowed, preferred, or prescribed cousin marriage (Levi-Strauss 1949; Homans and Schneider 1962; Leach 1951; see discussion in Berting and Philipsen 1960). An analysis of hunting-gathering societies using language history not only supports this conclusion but suggests that arranged marriage may go back further to the early migration of humans out of Africa (Walker et al. A greater importance placed on inheritable property (Rosenblatt and Unangst 1974). Note that the economic contribution argument fails to explain any advantages for women to be in polygynous marriages, nor does it explain why the opposite form of marriagepolyandryis not generally found where men do most of the subsistence work. Parallel cousins are related to you through the same gendermothers sisters children and fathers brothers children. Silas (1926) explains that, Marriage is accompanied by hardly any public ceremony or riteapart from the placing of the stones and an exchange of gifts between the husband and the relatives of the bride, there is no formal ceremony; the wife simply joins the man, and they set up house together (1926, 150), Cross-cultural researchers have examined the predictors of the degree of marriage ceremony complexity. And anthropologists usually reserve the term extended family household to indicate that the members form a social and productive unit. It is most common among groups that reckon descent through either the father (patrilineality) or the mother (matrilineality) alone. Why? 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. Inbreeding: the practice of breeding between individuals who are closely related. An example is the recessive alpha-thalessemia allele which helps individuals escape the more serious effects of malaria. 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). The severity of enforcement of exogamous restrictions varies greatly across cultures and may range from death to mild disapproval. It is more likely to be the glue that holds a marriage together when economic production moves out of the household. In the diagram below, a circle stands for a female, a triangle for a male, and an equal sign for a marriage. This finding is consistent with anecdotal evidence that arranged marriage customs tend to break down with modernization. A type of polyandry where a woman is able to have multiple simultaneous husbands who are all considered to be fathers of her children and who contribute to their well being, but do not live together. A single-parent, monogamous, or polygamous family that constitutes its own social and/or economic unit. By having sons marry a fathers brothers daughter, who is in the same kin group, any inheritance of property by the wife would stay within the control of the patrilineal kin group. The group defines the scope and extent of exogamy, and the rules and enforcement mechanisms that ensure its continuity. Unlike most online dictionaries, we want you to find your word's meaning quickly. They make the further assumption that agriculturalists and fishing people have more stable food supplies. In fact, in a survey of societies in eHRAF World Cultures, they found 53 societies outside of the classic polyandry areas (northern India, Nepal, Tibet and the Marquesas) that appear to practice either informal polyandry or formal polyandry. Biological exogamy is marriage of non blood-related beings, regulated by forms of incest law. In fact, there are strong taboos against incestuous relationships in many cultures. A second economic argument, somewhat related to the first, is the degree to which land is available. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. To be an extended family household, members need not live in the same dwelling. Community exogamy/endogamy. Therefore allowing some cousin marriage is not as problematic for overall reproduction of the group. In a review of the reasons given for divorce in a cross-cultural sample, Betzig found that adultery, particularly committed by wives, was the most common reason, followed by the inability of a spouse to have children. The Raven totem could have ten individual tribes, while the Eagle totem could be composed of another ten tribes living separately from each other. Pearson, Willie, Jr., and Lewellyn Hendrix. Another type of dowry is indirect dowry. Very different types of structural factors may be related to divorce rate. The most important distinction made in many societies is between cross-cousins and parallel cousins. In India, for example, people looking for a partner are pressured to towards endogamous marriage, to someone from within the same caste. Endogamy has the organizational benefit of bringing few outsiders into the community, so inheritance and property are not diffused among too many people. Informal polyandry is where two or more men are recognized as fathers and provide some help to the same woman and her children. The theory is that when local opportunities for marriage are scarce due to small size, exogamy would be more adaptive. 1965. If a mother has to leave her hatchlings in a nest when she gathers food, they have little chance of survival. Thus, persons may be expected to marry outside their totem clan(s) or other groups, in addition to outside closer blood relatives. Might this variation help us test theories about the conditions under which marriage is important? Continue with Recommended Cookies. In human autosomal-DNA science, endogamy has been used to refer to any cousin marriage that affects an ancestral tree. Note that bride price transfers wealth horizontally within the parental generation. "[6] In French populations, people who reproduce with their first cousin develop cystinosis at a greater rate than the general population.[7]. Among the societies with more elaborate ceremonies are the Hopi, of the U.S. Southwest, who practice a wedding ceremony that lasts four days. Decrease in hereditary diseases and birth defects due to a highly diverse gene pool. Some men will be unmarried, some men will only have one wife, and some will be currently monogamous but marry polygynously later. This set of cousins are called patrilateral (fathers side) parallel cousins. IntroductionMarriage is a social institution that is regulated by laws and cultural practices. Ember, Carol R., Melvin Ember, and Peter N. Peregrine. And neither woman could likely provide game through hunting. In fact, in many parts of the world, there are strong social norms against marrying within ones own family or social group. But since women in the Arab Khalifate region are typically secluded, women would be unlikely to be able to cultivate their portion of land, leaving it to be controlled by her husband. lower rates of premarital sex (Apostolou 2017). 2018). Biological exogamy is marriage of nonblood-related beings, regulated by forms of incest law. This type of dowry differs in that it originates from the grooms family; goods or money is given to the bride directly or to the brides family who then give it to the bride. Extended families often include people from 3 or 4 generations. So, what is exogamy? Why? 1962. Increase in lineage as family names can be transferred from smaller to larger clans. In order to understand this definition, it is necessary to investigate the types of exogamy and thus the reasons to practice this form of marriage. Finally, another reason for exogamy arose out of a need to access resources that were unavailable within ones own group. Exogamous marriage or exogamy is the custom of marrying outside a specified group of people to which a person belongs. God 1960. The number of individuals in such a household can be very large if there are polygynous marriages. Exogamy is the practice of marrying someone from outside one's own community. Nimkoff, M. F., and Russell Middleton. Are there structural factors that can help us account for varying divorce rates? Why? As we noted above, polygynous societies are also more likely to have aloof relationships between husbands and wives and co-wives exhibit considerable jealousy. But why polygyny? 2007. Compromise: Marriage requires compromise . Greater sexual regulation of women (Frayser 1985). In the past, these types of marriages were considered taboo. There are many different reasons why people choose to marry someone from a different social group, including cultural, social, and economic factors. A strict taboo on premarital sex for women (Kitahara 1974). To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Increasing the genetic diversity of the offspring improves the chances of offspring reproducing, up until the fourth-cousin level of relatedness; however, reproduction between individuals on the fourth-cousin level of relatedness decreases evolutionarily fitness. 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. Munck, Victor de, and Jennifer McGreevey. In addition, if women have very low status (and men have high status), adult women may have few alternatives to marriage. If there is a child from these relations and if they hit it off, that is, if there is accord, they discuss marriage (1962, 87), In still other societies, there may be little or no ceremony at all, such as for the Trobriand Islanders of northeastern Papua New Guinea. Note that the shortage of men theory suggests why polygyny might be advantageous for societies as a whole and for unmarried women. This restriction is prevalent in the Munda and other tribes of Chhota Nagpur of Madhya Pradesh. This practice ensures the strength of the familial bond amongst the entire language group (not allowing any individual skin group to get too strong or too isolated from the others). Preference for fathers brothers daughter marriage (patrilateral parallel cousin marriage) preference is more likely in patrilocal societies (Flinn and Low 1987). 5) Divorce is more socially acceptable CULTURAL. Omissions? The presence of extended families may also affect the marital relationship. Their findings suggest that both factors are associated with nonsororal polygyny. Ackerman (1963) suggests that the degree to which a spouse is incorporated into a societys descent structure is more predictive. Obviously, women can have children without being married, but unmarried women generally face greater economic difficulties when trying to raise children. It is often called out-marriage due to the importance of looking outside one's group. Why? Note that the relationship between pathogen stress, although significant, is very weak. 6) Divorce is easier to accomplish STRUCTURAL. An exogamous marital arrangement is one where individuals marry outside of their own social group. Schaden, Egon, and Lars-Peter Lewinsohn. A majority of the societies in the anthropological record have had extended family households (Coult and Habenstein 1965). These relate to the degree to which the wife and husband are dependent upon each other for reproductive and economic success. Huber, Brad R., William F. Danaher, and William L. Breedlove. Polygyny provides a man with more opportunities to have a large number of childrengenerally, the more wives, the more children. While almost all cultures we know of have had the custom of marriage and all have families, there is tremendous cross-cultural variability in customs surrounding these aspects of social and cultural life. Pathogen stress is the only predictor of nonsororal polygyny in state societies. [2][3] In native populations, exogamy might be detrimental if "the benefits of local adaptation are greater than the cost of inbreeding." There are a variety of theories about what particular problems make marriage adaptive. Marriage outside this group is exogamy. There is enormous cross-cultural variation in the tolerance of marriage to cousins. 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