Question

In the context of kinship and residence patterns, what does "neolocality" refer to?

A) Married couples living with both sets of parents.
B) Married couples living apart from both sets of parents.
C) A kinship system based on descent from the mother's side.
D) A type of cousin marriage common in some cultures.

Answer 1

Neolocality refers to a postmarital residence pattern where newly married couples establish an independent household apart from both sets of parents, typically in societies with bilateral descent.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the context of kinship and residence patterns, neolocality refers to the postmarital residence pattern in which a newly married couple establishes an independent household that is not connected to either spouse's family. This pattern of residence is commonly associated with societies that practice bilateral descent, where lineage is traced through both parents. In neolocal residence, the emphasis is on the newlyweds starting their own life together, separate from both sets of parents. Different societies may have varying norms for postmarital residence, with some practicing neolocal, patrilocal, matrilocal, or avunculocal patterns, all of which define where a couple resides in relation to their families after marriage.