Transition in Marriage Partner Selection Process

Abstract

The present study was designed to examine matrimonial advertisements as a strategy for marriage partner selection in Hindu Gujarati upper middle class families, with a focus on the relative roles of the individual and the family in the entire process. It also provided insight into the difficulties, compromises, or adjustments experienced by married individuals in the process. Further, the study classified the emerging selection criteria and reasons for prioritising the same in terms of the reflection of individualistic or interrelated psychological orientations, in the context of the partner selection process. The results indicate that matrimonial advertisements are gaining prominence in the realm of marriage partner selection process, which is mainly used for seeking wider options and exercising personal choices. It is difficult to clearly demarcate the relative roles of the individual and the family in partner selection, as they are deeply interwoven in the process dynamics. There is a significant increase in the participation of individuals specifically in terms of articulation of personal preferences. The inputs of the family reflect an attitude of open-mindedness and a willingness to give “space” to individuals to select a partner of their own choice, thereby indicating an “individualist” orientation in a culture that is essentially defined as “collectivist”.