Mate Preference and Parental Influence

Mate Preference and Parental Influence



Mate Preference and Parental Influence

Introduction

Many literature written on marriage and the process of finding the right mate detail the difference in some cultures in including family. The final decision sometimes has no bearings with the individual getting married in some cultures, while other cultures don't include family preference at all in their marital decisions. While there is a difference in the way family interacts within its framework, the same principles apply as per the traditions in marriages. Families come together and celebrate the coming together of two individuals as they prepare to spend their lives together. However, in mate preferences, there are major differences in how people in the Western culture might choose a person to marry than in the Eastern side of the world. The influence of parents and family traits are detected strongly in the east, especially Muslim countries. This is because traditional values and family ties are much more strictly adhered to than in the Western culture. People in the latter are not obligated to choose a partner for marriage either, and although religion is sometimes a factor to consider in the West as well, the influence on third party on mate preference is hardly detected.

Discussion

Cultural differences between Asian and Western societies are hardly hidden; there is a wide disparity between the attitudes and behaviors of individuals as they grow up. There is a difference in career goals, sexual attitudes, partner preferences, parental influence and a series of other factors. Studies have shown that the perceived influence that parents exercised on their children's life choices is a strong factor on the variables that lead to their mate preferences (Kirmani, 2009). In many traditional countries, dominant parental control has been practiced for centuries and is an essential feature of marriages. According to Salaff (1973) and Ribao (1986), a higher number of “free” marriages are likely to occur among the elite, political class who has more exposure to other cultures. Several variables in motivation are observed in different cultures, love is not considered the only basis in forming a marital bond, especially in “arranged marriages”, thus it is important to form a strong basis for what motivates individuals in mate selection.

Methodology

In order to understand the influence of parents in decisions regarding marriages, I chose samples of young adults, all within college going age from a varied set of backgrounds and geographical populations. From the United States, I chose students attending their sophomore and freshman years, while in Asian population I chose a university undergraduate program to sample. In the Western hemisphere, the sample was on 201 people, all within the ages of 16 to 25. The Asian sample was of the same ages but consisted of 98 people. The methodology I utilized was of surveys and questionnaires. The questionnaires were centered around the themes of relationships and love, while the survey was conducted through interviews where the samples were questioned about the amount of control their parents had on their ...