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SPATIAL HOMOGAMY: THE GEOGRAPHICAL DIMENSIONS OF PARTNER CHOICE
Author(s) -
HAANDRIKMAN KAREN
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
tijdschrift voor economische en sociale geografie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.766
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1467-9663
pISSN - 0040-747X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9663.2010.00642.x
Subject(s) - economic geography , geography , similarity (geometry) , geographical distance , cohabitation , phenomenon , variation (astronomy) , demographic economics , dimension (graph theory) , trustworthiness , distribution (mathematics) , socioeconomics , gravity model of trade , sociology , demography , psychology , social psychology , economics , population , mathematical analysis , physics , mathematics , archaeology , quantum mechanics , artificial intelligence , computer science , astrophysics , international trade , pure mathematics , image (mathematics)
Individuals tend to find life partners who are similar to themselves, a phenomenon known as homogamy. This study focuses on spatial homogamy, which is the similarity regarding the geographical origin of partners. Adopting a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods, the geographical dimension of partner choice is explored for the Netherlands. Distance decay is highly pertinent for Dutch cohabitation partners: half of them meet within a 6 kilometre distance. The level of spatial homogamy not only varies by demographic and socio‐economic characteristics of individuals, but also exhibits a spatial distribution. The spatial variation can be explained by a combination of cultural, geographical and socio‐economic factors. In a case study in a rural area in eastern Netherlands, villagers indicated that a partner from close by is seen as convenient, familiar and trustworthy. The distance at which partners are found is influenced by the perceived mentality and culture of neighbouring places.