anthropology marriage and family

marriage

a legal or formal union between individuals that establishes rights and obligations between them, often defined by cultural, religious, or legal standards

3 main characteristics of marriage

include emotional support, economic cooperation, and social recognition

number of spouses

that can be involved in a marriage, which varies across cultures and legal systems, including monogamy, polygamy, polyandry

monogamy

the marital practice of having one spouse at a time, which is common in many cultures

serial monogamy

the practice of engaging in a series of monogamous relationships, one after another, rather than simultaneously

polygyny

the practice of a man having multiple wives simultaneously, commonly found in various cultures

polyandry

the practice of a woman having multiple husbands simultaneously, often seen in certain cultures as a means of resource management

fraternal polyandry

a form of polyandry where bothers share a wife, often to maintain family and resources

rules for mate selection

guidelines that dictate how individuals choose their partners, often influenced by cultural, social, and economic factors

exogamy

the practice of marrying outside ones social group, often to strengthen alliances between different families or clans

endogamy

the practice of marrying within one’s social group, often to reinforce cultural or economic ties

incest taboo

a cultural norm that prohibits sexual relations or marriage between closely related individuals to prevent the adverse effects of inbreeding and mainatain social order

economic exchanges

refers to transactions between individuals or groups that involve the transfer of goods, services, or resources, often reinforcing social relationships and obligations

bride price

a payment made by the groom or his family to the bride’s family as part of the marriage arrangement, reflecting the value placed on the bride and her family

bride service

a practice where the groom works for the bride’s family for a specified period as part of the marriage agreement, demonstrating commitment and fostering familital ties

dowry

a transfer or parental property, wealth, or money, given the groom as part of the marriage arrangement, often intended to provide financial security for the bride

dowry death

refers to the deaths of women in some cultures, often due to disputes over dowry payments, or as a rresult of domestic violence linked to dowry issues, highlighting serious social and legal implications

arranged marriage

a marriage in which the families of the bride and groom select their partners, often based on cultural economic, or social considerations

forced marriage

a marriage in which one or both parties are coerced into the union aginst their will, often violating personal autonomy and consent

forced child marriage

a practice where children, often girls, are marriaged off before they reach adulthood, frequently disregarding their consent and leading to serious health and social consequences

unilineal descent

a system of lineage tracing through one parent only. either maternal or paternal, often influencing inheritance and family structure

patrilineal

descent traced through the fathers line, affecting inheritance and family ties

matrilineal

descent traced through the mother’s line, influencing inheritance and familial relationships

bilateral descent

a system of lineage tracing through both parents, affecting inheritance rights and relationships

nuclear family

a family unit consisting of two parents and their children, functioning as a single hosuehold

extended family

a family structure that includes additional relatives beyond the nuclear family, such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, often living together or maintaining close ties

residence patterns

the various ways in which families choose to live together, often categorized a neolocal, matrilocal, patrilocal, or avunculocal

neolocal

a residence pattern in which a marriage couple establishes a new home independent of their parents, often in a different location from either set of parents

matrilocal

a residence pattern in which a marriage couple lives with or near the wifes family or relatives

patrilocal

a residence pattern in which a married couple lies with or near the husbands parents