Origins of Marriage
The expectations of this
Unit
• The historical and cultural changes in intimate
and marital relationships
o Current trends and issues affecting
development of intimate relationships
The influence of various social institutions on
the decisions and behaviours of individuals in
intimate relationships across a lifespan
How to evaluate, analyze and synthesize
information related to individuals and families
in a diverse society.
Anthropological Lens
Helen Fisher, an American
anthropologist, suggests
that the durability of the
pair-bond, a mating
relationship between a
male and female, is
essential to the survival of
humans.
She explains that the only
way people can ensure
their continued existence
is by reproducing and then
protecting their children
over time. She also
proposes that both men
and women have a
biological urge to produce
children.
Biological Drive
“Human beings almost
never have to be cajoled
into pairing. Instead, we [
do this naturally. We flirt.
We feel infatuation. We fall
in love. We marry. And the
vast majority of us marry
only one person at a time.
Pair-bonding is the
trademark of the human
animal” (1992, p. 72)
Helen Fisher
Marriage is a Social Invention
Functionalists describe
marriage as a social institution
that developed as an
important part of the
organization of society to meet
humans' basic needs. The
diversity of marriage reflects
the various ways that societies
organize to meet the
functional requisites of sexual
reproduction, socialization of
children, and division of
labour.
Individuals are socialized into
the appropriate roles for men
and women in their societies
and are expected to marry into
complementary roles.
Moreover, because men and
women serve distinct but
useful purposes for society
when they are married,
functionalists concluded that
people are happiest if they
marry.
How marriage was organized
Marriage as a binding
relationship was regulated
sexual activity so that the
biological father could
identify his offspring.
Consequently, adults
become mutually
responsible for nurturing
and socializing their
children.
Marriage has been
viewed primarily as an
economic unit. In fact, for
most of history, love was
seldom a consideration in
the decision to marry, and
most women had little say
in their choice of partner
Polygyny
Polygyny, the practice of a
man having more than
one wife, appears to have
been the preferred form
of marriage in most
societies historically, since
84 percent of recorded
Monogamy Polygyny
Polyandry cultures have
allowed it
Polyandry
Polyandry, on the other
hand, occurs when a
society, such as some in
rural Nepal, is so poor that
several men are required
to support a wife and
children (
Read and Review the history
of marriage
• Pages 172-178
• Complete the
accompanying
worksheet.