Demographic Opportunity and the Mate Selection Process in India

Bibliographic Data

ID2993070
AuthorsJ South (0000-0002-0006-5133, Albany State University), Scott J South (Department of Sociology and Center for Social and Demographic Analysis, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222, USA ().), Katherine Trent (Department of Sociology and Center for Social and Demographic Analysis, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222, USA ().), Sunita Bose (SUNY New Paltz)
Year2016
Volume47
Issue2
Pages221-246
Publication date2016-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Comparative Family Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0047-2328 • E-ISSN: 1929-9850
PublisherUniversity of Toronto Press Inc. (UTPress) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.3138/jcfs.47.2.221
PMID27616798
OpenAlexW2530363186
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited19

We merged individual-level data from the 2004-2005 India Human Development Survey with district-level data derived from the 1991 and 2001 Indian population censuses to examine how the numerical supply of men to which married women were exposed during late adolescence is associated with women's agency in the mate selection process and the duration of courtships. Multilevel models that control for an array of both individual and contextual factors showed that exposure to a relative surplus of potential mates is associated with a higher likelihood that women will have little or no say in the selection of their husband and an increased probability that women will meet their husband for the first time on their wedding day. Women's educational attainment, birth cohort, religion, caste, and region of residence also emerged as significant correlates of women's marital agency and courtship duration. The implications of these findings for India's growing sex ratio imbalance are discussed

Biology · Demographic economics · Economics · Mate choice · Mating · Selection (genetic algorithm) · Computer Science · Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences · Ecology · Family Dynamics and Relationships

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