Incest taboo
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
| Revision as of 14:56, 26 November 2008 Jahsonic (Talk | contribs) ← Previous diff |
Current revision Jahsonic (Talk | contribs) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| {{Template}} | {{Template}} | ||
| + | An '''incest taboo ''' is any [[Convention (norm)|cultural rule]] or [[Norm (social)|norm]] that prohibits [[Human sexual activity|sexual relations]] between closely related persons. [[Cultural universal|All human cultures]] have norms that exclude certain close relatives from those considered suitable or permissible [[Sexual partner|sexual]] or [[marriage]] partners, making such relationships [[taboo]]. However, different norms exist among cultures as to which blood relations are permissible as sexual partners and which are not. Sexual relations between related persons which are subject to the taboo are called [[Incest|incestuous relationship]]s. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Some cultures proscribe sexual relations between [[clan]]-members, even when no traceable biological relationship exists, while members of other clans are permissible irrespective of the existence of a biological relationship. In many cultures, certain types of cousin relations are preferred as sexual and marital partners, whereas in others these are taboo. Some cultures permit sexual and marital relations between aunts/uncles and nephews/nieces. In some instances, brother–sister marriages have been practised by the elites with some regularity. Parent–child and sibling–sibling unions are almost universally taboo. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==See also== | ||
| + | * [[Baldwinian evolution]] | ||
| + | * [[Heterosis]] | ||
| + | * [[Homozygosity]] | ||
| + | * [[Inbreeding avoidance]] | ||
| - | The '''incest taboo''' is a term used by [[Cultural anthropology|anthropologists]] to refer to a class of prohibitions, both formal and unstated, against [[incest]], the practice of sexual relations between certain or close relatives, in human societies. There are various theories that seek to explain how and why an incest taboo originates. Some advocates maintain that some sort of incest taboo is universal, while others dispute its universality. Research on the incest taboo necessarily involves research into what different societies consider "incest" which, according to anthropology, varies strikingly from one society to another. The term may encompass, but is not identical to, the legal regulation of [[marriage]] by states. | ||
| {{GFDL}} | {{GFDL}} | ||
Current revision
|
Related e |
|
Featured: |
An incest taboo is any cultural rule or norm that prohibits sexual relations between closely related persons. All human cultures have norms that exclude certain close relatives from those considered suitable or permissible sexual or marriage partners, making such relationships taboo. However, different norms exist among cultures as to which blood relations are permissible as sexual partners and which are not. Sexual relations between related persons which are subject to the taboo are called incestuous relationships.
Some cultures proscribe sexual relations between clan-members, even when no traceable biological relationship exists, while members of other clans are permissible irrespective of the existence of a biological relationship. In many cultures, certain types of cousin relations are preferred as sexual and marital partners, whereas in others these are taboo. Some cultures permit sexual and marital relations between aunts/uncles and nephews/nieces. In some instances, brother–sister marriages have been practised by the elites with some regularity. Parent–child and sibling–sibling unions are almost universally taboo.
See also
