Marital Norms and Practices uses 7 self-reported items from the second round of the Indian Human Development Survey (IHDS) Education and Health Questionnaire. IHDS is a nationally representative, multi-dimensional survey conducted across India. This measure captures aspects of marital norms and practices existent in communities, including considerations of caste and exchange of assets between families. Navigational aspects (i.e. skip-out patterns and next question sequences) have not been included on this page but can be viewed on the original questionnaire here.
Geographies Tested: India
Populations Included: Female
Age Range: Adolescents, Adults
1. Now, I would like to ask you some questions about marriage customs in your community (jati) for a family like yours? Is it permissible ....
Response Options:
No
Yes
Don't Know
2. Do you know anyone in your community jati who has
Response Options:
No
Yes
Don't Know
3. At the time of a boy's marriage, how much money is usually spent by the boy's family?
PROBE TO GET THE AMOUNT FOR A TYPICAL WEDDING. TRY TO GET ONE NUMBER, BUT ACCEPT A RANGE IF THAT IS WHAT IS GIVEN.
Response Options:
________ [Between Rupees]
________ [To Rupees]
IF ONLY ONE AMOUNT IS GIVEN, ENTER SAME NUMBER IN BOTH FIELDS.
4. At the time of a girl's marriage, how much money is usually spent by the boy's family?
PROBE TO GET THE AMOUNT FOR A TYPICAL WEDDING. TRY TO GET ONE NUMBER, BUT ACCEPT A RANGE IF THAT IS WHAT IS GIVEN.
Response Options:
________ [Between Rupees]
________ [To Rupees]
IF ONLY ONE AMOUNT IS GIVEN, ENTER SAME NUMBER IN BOTH FIELDS.
5. Typically at wedding (largest event of the wedding, say reception), how many people are invited for dinner or lunch by the bride's and groom's family?
Response Options:
________ [Girl's side]
________ [Boy's side]
6. Generally in your community for a family like yours, what are the kind of things that are given as gift at the time of the daughter's marriage?
Response Options:
RarelyNever
Sometimes
Usually
7. [IF CASH] How much?
Response Options:
________ [Between Rupees]
________ [To Rupees]
IF ONLY ONE AMOUNT IS GIVEN, ENTER SAME NUMBER IN BOTH FIELDS.
Not Applicable
Desai, S., & Vanneman, R. (2015). India Human Development Survey-II (IHDS-II). Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research. https://doi. org/10.3886/ICPSR36151. v6.
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