What does homogamy describe in sociological terms?

• A. The tendency of people with similar characteristics to marry one another.
• B. The tendency to marry someone with different characteristics.
• C. A form of marriage in which women have more than one husband.
• D. A system in which partners are chosen by social arrangement.

Answer: (A)

Homogamy describes the tendency for people to marry someone who resembles them in important characteristics—things like education, religion, race or ethnicity, social class, age, and family background. This resemblance helps with shared values, lifestyles, and social networks, which can make daily life, childrearing, and mutual support smoother and more predictable. Because marriages often form within similar groups, homogamy reinforces existing social boundaries and patterns. The other choices point to different marriage patterns—marrying someone with different characteristics is heterogamy; a marriage where a woman has more than one husband is polyandry; and a system where partners are chosen by social arrangement describes arranged marriage.