Marriage

Marriage is the culturally approved social relationship for sexual relationships and childbearing. Many cultures accept sexual relationships (premarital, extramarital, and homosexual behavior) outside of marriage, but most cultures discourage the bearing and rearing of children outside of marriage. This insistence on a marital framework is designed to protect children; children should have kinship networks to take care of them both financially and socially. Although this cultural norm persists in American society, it is fairly common for children to be born or reared outside of marriage, such as in the cases of unwanted teenage pregnancies, unmarried women choosing voluntary pregnancy by artificial insemination, the use of surrogate mothers, and homosexual partners (legally unmarried) adopting children, These particular situations, however, are not fully approved by society.

When an individual marries, he/she acquires another social role (husband, wife), along with identified expectations regarding behavior, attitudes, privileges, and obligations. It is acknowledged by others in the society that he/she is now beginning a family. In general sociological terms, therefore, marriage is the acquisition of a new social role, and the recognition of this new status by others.

Types of Marriage Patterns

Marriage patterns vary from culture to culture.

Monogamy

Monogamy is the marriage of one woman and one man at a time. The most widely practiced form of marriage, this is the type practiced in the Western world. All U.S. states have legal prohibitions against an individual's having more than one spouse. The penalties for deviating from these laws can be severe.

Polygamy

Polygamy is the marriage of a person of either sex to more than one spouse. In the past, polygamy was the preferred form of marriage around the world. In some societies where polygamy is practiced, having more than one spouse serves as a status symbol. There are two forms of polygamy:

Polygyny is the marriage of one man to more than one woman.

Polyandry, which is less common, is the marriage of one woman to more than one man.

The economic conditions of a society are related to the number of polygamous marriages in that society. For example, in some societies having more than one wife is an economic or social advantage, and the man who achieves this will enjoy high status. Polygyny exists where males can afford to support two or more wives. On the other hand, polyandry has been found in societies with severe economic hardships (through polyandry, family size is limited).

Group Marriage

Group marriage is a form of marriage in which two or more men are living with two or more women at the same time. Today there is no known society where group marriage has been institutionalized as the accepted form.

Mate Selection

Societies have different ways of bringing couples together in marriage. Wives may be purchased through the exchange of gifts or a direct monetary payment. In some cultures there is a practice known as wife capture. Marriages can also be arranged by one's parents or other close relatives; in this method, mate selection becomes a prerogative of the family, with or without the consent of the children involved. In the United States, marriages are formed by the free choice of both parties. Although most Americans believe that they have complete freedom to pick whomever they wish as their mates, there are restrictions that influence their choices. These constraints may not be as formal as family arrangements, but they limit the individuals that are eligible and available to a particular person. The mate selection process is, in fact, influenced by a variety of structural, cultural, and interpersonal factors.