Page 385 - Sociology and You

knowledge or experience that supports or refutes the idea that homogamy dominates American society.
Chapter 11 The Family
355
class. Furthermore, most marriages in the United States occur between individuals who are about the same age. Most people who are marrying for the first time marry someone who also has not been married before. Divorced people tend to marry others who have been previously married. Finally, peo- ple tend to choose marriage partners
from their own communities or neighborhoods.
Although it is still the excep-
tion in the United States, het-
erogamy is rising. In
heterogamous marriages, part-
ners are dissimilar in some im-
portant characteristics. More
American marriages, for in-
stance, are crossing traditional
barriers of age, race, social class,
and ethnicity. This trend results
from several factors. America
has become more racially and
ethnically integrated, so that peo-
ple have an opportunity to mix
more freely. The television and
film industries help foster het-
erogamy by the sympathetic por-
trayal of couples and families from
different racial and social backgrounds. In addition, class lines are crossed with greater frequency, and norms separating age groups have weakened.
Section 1 Assessment
1. What is the difference between a nuclear and an extended family? Which type represents your household?
2. Why are nuclear families more common in industrial societies?
3. What is another term for the family of birth?
4. Indicate whether exogamy (Ex), endogamy (En), or homogamy (H) is
reflected in each of the following situations.
a. Catholics are supposed to marry Catholics.
b. A father is not permitted to marry his daughter.
c. Members of the same social class marry.
d. A brother and sister are legally prohibited from marrying.
e. People tend to marry others of the same age.
f. Rich people marry other wealthy people.
Critical Thinking
5. SynthesizingInformation Writeaparagraphbasedonpersonal
“
Success in marriage is not so much finding the right person as it is being the right person.
heterogamy
marriage between people with differing social characteristics
Are these two individuals in a homogenous or heterogamous relationship? Explain.
Anonymous
“