Matrimonial distance, inbreeding coefficient and population size: Dhangar data
Majumder, P.P.; Malhotra, K.C.
Annals of Human Biology 6(1): 17-27
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0301-4460 PMID: 434763 DOI: 10.1080/03014467900003331Document Number: 441311
Data on the distance between the birthplaces of spouses - matrimonial distance - were collected from 2260 married individuals belonging to 21 endogamous castes of the Dhangar (shepherd) caste-cluster of Maharashtra, India. The data are analyzed with a view to finding differences in the distributions of matrimonial distances among the caste groups, and to examine the relationship of the inbreeding coefficients of these gorups with their mean matrimonial distances and population sizes. The general form of the distribution of matrimonial distances is one which is extremely positively skewed and leptokurtic. The percentage of intra-village marriages generally decreases from the southern areas of Maharashtra to the northern areas of the state, as does the inbreeding coefficient. Further examination is made of the differences in matrimonial differences and inbreeding coefficients in terms of sociocultural norms regulating choice of mates, geographic dispersal of population, and migrational history, concluding that the situation is in conformity with norms prevailing in south and north India. In an attempt to relate the degree of inbreeding to the mean matrimonial distance and population size, it was found that the former is more useful in predicting the degree of inbreeding than population size.