A escolha do cônjuge / La elección del cónyuge / Choice of spouse

Enfocando os tópicos namoro e noivado, idade ao casar e diferenças de idade entre os cônjuges, este artigo caminha por três grandes períodos históricos: o período colonial; o século XIX até finais do XX; e o início do século XXI. Trata-se de uma análise transdisciplinar dos pontos de vista histórico, social, demográfico, legal e jurídico, focalizando o desenrolar dessas situações seja por persistências e/ou mudanças; quem e quais são os atores envolvidos e sua importância nas escolhas dos futuros nubentes. No início, a seleção era fundada no parentesco e no território, privilegiando a grande rede familiar solidária no enfrentamento das dificuldades de sobrevivência. Com os avanços da industrialização, da urbanização, da tecnologia e de comunicação, além do crescimento da importância das pessoas, as escolhas foram se transformando, diminuindo a dependência da estrutura familiar e aumentando a escolha pessoal e afetiva, influenciadas pelas variadas formas de mudança social, demográfica, jurídica.

Enfocando los tópicos noviazgo y compromiso, edad al casarse y diferencias de edad entre los cónyuges, este artículo recorre tres grandes períodos históricos: el período colonial; el siglo XIX hasta fines del XX; y el inicio del siglo XXI. Se trata de un análisis transdisciplinario de los puntos de vista históricos, sociales, demográficos, legales y jurídicos, focalizándose en el desarrollo de esas situaciones, sea por persistencias y/o cambios; quién y cuáles son los actores involucrados y su importancia en la elección de los futuros prometidos. En el comienzo, la selección se fundaba en el parentesco y en el territorio, privilegiando la gran red familiar solidaria en el enfrentamiento de las dificultades de sobrevivencia. Con los avances de la industrialización, de la urbanización, de la tecnología y de la comunicación, además del crecimiento de la importancia de las personas, las elecciones se fueron transformando, disminuyendo la dependencia de la estructura familiar y aumentando la elección personal y afectiva, influenciadas por las variadas formas de cambios sociales, demográficos, jurídicos.

This article focuses on the topics of courtship and engagement, the age at which persons marry and age differences between spouses. The text briefly describes three long historical periods, namely, the colonial period, from 19th to the late 20th centuries, and the early 21st. The discussion involves a multi-disciplinary analysis from the historical, social, demographic and legal points of view, and deals especially with the developments of these situations, either through persistence or due to change. Also considered are the actors involved and their importance in the choices of their future wife or husband. In the earliest period studied the choice was based on kinship and territory, with special importance given to broad family networks, which participated in facing the difficulties involved in survival. With the advances of industrialization, urbanization, technology and communications, and the greater importance given to the individual, the question of who was to choose the spouses evolved. Dependence on the family structure became less and less important and personal and emotional preferences became more determinant, influenced by various types of social, demographic and legal changes.

Hierarchy, kinship and social interaction among Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata).

The study reports the relationship between hierarchy, genetic relatedness and social interaction in captive Japanese macaques. Grooming and proximity were found to be positively related to both dominance rank and degrees of relatedness. Ranks also positively correlated with threats while no relationship was observed between genetic relationships and agonistic interactions. The removal of a-male tightened the male hierarchy while the female hierarchy became relatively loose. Affiliative behaviour became more correlated with ranks than degrees of genetic relatedness. In the absence of α-male, the next dominant male avoided involvement in either agonistic or afliliative interactions with reintroduced animals and group females.