1. Sociology of the Family
April 9, 2015

2. Evolution of “Mate” Preferences
Data on “mate” (romantic partner) preferences collected from
Desirable qualities in a partner converge for men and women by the end of the study period, in tandem with social changes re: gender equality
Study tests hypotheses of partner selection
Evolutionary psychology (mate preferences concretized in pre-historic era, shouldn’t change with changes in the social structure)
Social structure (mate preferences conform with evolutions in the social structure, changes in the distribution of resources by gender)

3. Marriage: A History
Marrying for love is a recent historical phenomenon
Contemporary marriage involves a “package of expectations” centered on love

4. “Deinstitutionalization” of Marriage
Weakening of social rules and norms in marriage (“deinstitutionalization”)
Changes in values have led to the weakening of rules and norms:
Shift to companionate marriage
Emphasis on personal choice and fulfillment

5. Discussion Questions
If marriage is no longer institutionalized, that is, if there are no longer widely held norms around how to behave in marriage, then what is the continued purpose of marriage?