This article refines previous research on marriage transactions and offers descriptions of new types of marriage transactions. First, the authors examine the frequency and distribution of marriage transactions. Second,the authors use a bio-cultural approach to examine how differences in male and female reproductive strategies and the kin selection theory are associated with marriage transactions.

Using an evolutionary perspective, this study tests hypotheses relating gender and kinship roles to the amount of direct and indirect care provided during and around childbirth. The roles of paternal certainty, residence rules and descent groups are also examined.

This article focuses on parents’ investment of material resources at the time of their child’s marriage. Two patterns emerge from the data: wealth is generally transferred from the groom’s family to the bride’s and from the couple’s parents to the bride and groom. Social and ecological factors are also examined. Multiple regression analysis shows that paternal confidence level, societal polygyny rate, and level of pathogen stress can affect the aforementioned wealth transfer patterns.