Final answer:
Elementary marriage systems are associated with simpler societal structures and involve endogamous unions within the same social group, while complex marriage systems are found in societies with more intricate structures and include exogamous marriages based on love and compatibility, subject to societal norms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The difference between elementary and complex marriage systems can be understood by considering their basis for partner selection and structure. Elementary marriage systems are often linked to simpler societal structures and may involve endogamous unions where individuals marry within their own social group, such as class or ethnicity.
In contrast, complex marriage systems reflect more intricate social structures and are found in societies with more detailed and diverse forms of organization. They may include exogamous marriages, which involve unions between individuals of different social groups, going beyond factors like social standing or economics and fostering relationships based on values like love and compatibility. However, even in complex systems, societal norms and rules such as incest prohibition and exogamy vs. endogamy remain in place to guide marital relationships.
For example, in the United States, marriages are commonly based on mutual feelings of love and individuals often have the freedom to choose partners from different social classes or backgrounds (exogamous marriages), though with an underlying preference for similar linguistic and generational characteristics (endogamous marriages). Conversely, in societies with closed stratification systems like caste systems, marriages are more likely to be restricted to within the same social level, and transitions between levels are less common.