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HIGHER MALE EDUCATIONAL HYPERGAMY: EVIDENCE FROM PORTUGAL

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 May 2003

HAMILTON R. CORREIA
HAMILTON R. CORREIA
Affiliation:
Departamento de Antropologia, Universidade de Coimbra, 3000 056 Coimbra, Portugal
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Abstract

Studies of human mate choice have been based almost exclusively on stated preferences and personal advertisements, and the external validity of such studies has therefore been questioned. In the present study, reallife matings based on a large representative sample of newly wed couples in 1998 (n=66,598) were analysed according to educational assortative mating. The results demonstrate a strong educational homogamy in this national Portuguese sample. However, men tend to marry women who are slightly more educated than themselves. The results are compared with those of a modern society (US, 1940–87) and a traditional society (Kipsigis, 1952–91). Since educational attainment is strongly associated with social status and intelligence, these results are discussed in an evolutionary perspective.

Type
Regular Articles
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 35 , Issue 2 , April 2003 , pp. 303 - 313
Copyright
© 2003 Cambridge University Press

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