UCSP

Social Institution

Relatively stable and predictable social arrangements created to coordinate behavior and interactions to meet a specific need.

Family

The basic unit of society, consisting of parents and their biological or adopted children.

Endogamy

A type of marriage limited to members of the same social group, often used in conservative societies to preserve wealth.

Exogamy

Marriage between two people of different categories, opposite of endogamy.

Monogamy

A form of marriage that permits only one marital union for each individual, prohibiting marrying another individual unless divorced or annulled.

Polygamy

Uniting a person with two or more partners.

Polygyny

A type of polygamy where one man is married to two or more women.

Polyandry

A type of polygamy where one woman is married to two or more men.

Patrilineal

Tracing kinship through men.

Matrilineal

Tracing kinship through women.

Bilateral

Tracing descent through both men and women.

Ritual Kinship

Family ties or relationships established through a ritual, such as compadrazgo in baptism.

Nuclear Family

Composed of the father, mother, and their biological or adopted children.

Extended Family

Includes other family members such as grandparents, uncles, aunties, and cousins.

Transnational Families

Families living in spatial separation, not residing in the same conjugal dwelling.

Courtship

The beginning of family life, where two people get to know each other in preparation for a serious commitment.

Romantic Love

Affection, care, and sexual passion towards another person, often characterized by a fairy tale love story.

Child Rearing

One of the goals of marriage, raising and nurturing children.

The Family in Later Life

The stage where the husband and wife have fewer responsibilities and are on their own again.

Essential Requirements of Marriage

Legal capacity of a male and female contracting party and freely given consent in the presence of a solemnizing officer.

Formal Requirements of Marriage

Authority of the solemnizing officer, a valid marriage license (except in cases relating to other cultural practices), and a marriage ceremony with the appearance of the contracting parties and witnesses.