Marriage Markets Theory

Marriage Markets Theory compares the process of choosing a partner to a marketplace, where individuals "trade" qualities like education, income, or attractiveness to find a compatible match. Just as supply and demand influence prices, personal preferences, societal norms, and available options affect who pairs up. It emphasizes that decisions aren't purely personal but shaped by market-like dynamics, including competition and cooperation. This perspective helps explain patterns in marriage, such as why people often marry within certain social or economic groups, and how individual choices are influenced by broader social and economic forces.