Marital Duration and Sexual Frequency among the Muslim and Santal Couples in Rural Bangladesh: A Cross-Cultural Perspective
Age and sex are biological terms that are socioculturally
constructed for marriage and marital sexual behavior in
every society. Marriage is a universal norm that makes legitimate
sexual behavior between a man and a woman in marital life cycle to
gain bio-social purposes. Cross-cultural studies reveal that marital
sexual frequency as a part of marital sexual behavior not only varies
within the couple-s life cycle, but also varies between and among
couples in diverse cultures. The purpose of the study was to compare
marital sexual frequency in association with age status and length of
marital relationship between Muslim and Santal couples in rural
Bangladesh. For this we assumed that (1) Santal culture compared to
Muslim culture preferred earlier age at marriage for meeting marital
sexual purposes in rural Bangladesh; (2) Marital duration among the
Muslim couples was higher than that among the Santal couples; (3)
Sexual frequency among the younger couples in both the ethnic
communities was higher than the older couples; (4) Sexual frequency
across the Muslim couples- marital life cycle was higher than that the
Santal couples- marital life cycle. In so doing, 288 active couples
(145 for Muslim and 143 for Santal) selected by cluster random
sampling were interviewed with questionnaire method. The findings
of Independent Samples T Test on age at marriage, current age,
marital duration and sexual frequency independently reveal that there
were significant differences in sexual frequency not only across the
couples- life cycle but also vary between the Muslim and Santal
couples in relation to marital duration. The results of Pearson-s Inter-
Correlation Coefficients reveal that although age at marriage, current
age and marital duration for husband and wife were significantly
positive correlated with each other between the communities, there
were significantly negative correlation between the age at marriage,
current age, marital duration and sexual frequency among the
selected couples between the communities.
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Prentice Hall Inc, 1996.
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through Adolescence. New York: McGraw-Hill Company, 2002.
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of Research, February, 01, 2002.
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In P. Zimbardo & C. Maslach: Readings Psychology for our Times.
Glenview, Illinois: Scott, Foresman and Company, 1977, 2nd Edition.
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Perspective on Human Sexuality. New Haven, CT: Human Relations
Area File Press, 1985.
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O-Donohue (Eds.): Theories of Human Sexuality. New York: Plenum,
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in 24 countries", Journal of Sex Research, 35, 349-358, 1998.
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Healthy Decisions. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2001, p.8.
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World Health Organization, The Lancet Sexual and Reproductive
Health Series, October, 2006.
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couple, part II: Beyond the baby years- Statistical data included",
Journal of Sex Research, February 01, 2001.
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York: McGraw-Hill, 2003.
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York: Population Division, 1990.
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Sternberg & M. L. Bernes (eds.): The Psychology of Love. New Haven,
CT: Yale University Press, 1988, pp.100-118.
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hypotheses tested in 37 cultures", Behavioral & Brain Sciences, 12, 1-
49, 1989.
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pastoralists", Behavioral & Brain Sciences, 15, 102-103, 1992.
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Prentice-Hall Inc., 1971, p. 123.
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West Publishing Company, 1979.
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York: Morrow, 1983.
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and Sons, 1995.
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organization of sexuality in France and the United States- Statistical data
included. Journal of Sex Research, February 01, 2001.
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Psicologia. Teoria e pesquisa Vol.33, No.1, pp. 71-80, 2007.
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Social Gerontology. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1980.
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Length-of residency influences on sexual knowledge and attitudes-,
Journal of Sex Research, May 01, 1998.
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permissive sexual attitudes: A test of Reiss-s hypotheses about Sweden
and the United States- Statistical data included", Journal of Sex
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Research, May 01, 2001.
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couple, part II: Beyond the baby years- Statistical data included",
Journal of Sex Research, February 01, 2001.
[39] E. S. Byers, "Relationship satisfaction and sexual satisfaction: A
longitudinal study of individuals in long-term relationships", Journal of
Sex Research, May 01, 2005.
[40] E. Hatfield & R. L. Rapson, "Passionate love and sexual desire: Crosscultural
and historical perspectives", In H. Reis, M. A. Fitzpatrick, & A.
Vangelisti, Stability and Change in Relationship Behavior across the
Lifespan (in Press). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press
(file http://www.elainehatfield.com/histor.doc.).
[41] D. B. Langille & L. Curtis, "Factors associated with sexual intercourse
before 15 among female adolescents in Nova Scotia", Canadian Journal
of Human Sexuality, June 22, 2002.
[42] G. Ogden, "Spiritual passion and compassion in late-life sexual
relationships", Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality, Vol. 4, August
14, 2001.
[43] W. Pedersen, S. O. Samuelsen & L. Wichstrom, "Intercourse debut age:
Poor resources, problem behavior, or romantic appeal? A populationbased
longitudinal study", Journal of Sex Research, November 01, 2003
[44] S. S. Rostosky, et al., "Coital debut: The role of religiosity and sex
attitudes in the add health survey-, Journal of Sex Research, November
01, 2003.
[45] J. D. Woody, H. J. D-Souza & R. Russel, "Emotions and motivations in
first adolescent intercourse: An exploratory study based on object
relations theory", Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, March 22,
2003.
[46] D. J. Hensel, J. D. Fortenberry & D. P. Orr, "Situational and relational
factors associated with coitus during vaginal bleeding among adolescent
women", Journal of Sex Research, Vol. 44, No. 3, pp. 269-277, 2007.
[47] M. W.-L. Cheung, et al. "A study of sexual satisfaction and frequency of
sex among Hong Kong Chinese couples", Journal of Sex Research, Vol.
45, No. 2, pp. 129-139, 2008.
[48] R. Tewksbury & S. Golder, "Frequency of sexual activity among men
who visit prostitutes", Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality, Vol. 11,
June 27, 2008.
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Limited, 1995.
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study, Ph. D. dissertation, the Institute of Bangladesh Studies,
Rajshahi: Rajshahi University, Unpublished.
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Ministry of Planning, Government of the People-s Republic of
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pattern in Bangladesh", Ph.D. Dissertation, Rajshahi: University of
Rajshahi, Unpublished.
[63] U. R. Saha, & R. Bairagi, "Inconsistencies in the relationship between
contraceptive use and fertility in Bangladesh", International Family
Planning Perspectives, Vol. 33, No. 1, pp. 31-37, 2007.
[64] M. E. Uddin, "Family structure in a village of Bangladesh: A crosscultural
study", Ph. D. Dissertation, the Institute of Bangladesh Studies,
Rajshahi: University of Rajshahi, Unpublished.
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1998.
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anthropological study", M. Phil Dissertation, The Institute of
Bangladesh Studies, Rajshahi: University of Rajshahi, Unpublished.
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A study of four villages of the Naogaon district", M. Phil Dissertation,
Rajshahi, University of Rajshahi, Unpublished.
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[1] R. E. Franken, Human Motivation. Monterey, California: Brooks/ Cole
Publishing Company, 1982.
[2] G. J. Craig, Human Development. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey:
Prentice Hall Inc, 1996.
[3] N. J. Comb, The Child: Infants, Children and Adolescents. Mountain
View, California: Mayfield Publishing Company, 2001.
[4] D. E. Papalia, S. W. Olds, & R. D. Feldman, A child-s World: Infancy
through Adolescence. New York: McGraw-Hill Company, 2002.
[5] J. Bancroft, "Biological factors in human sexuality", Sex Roles: A Journal
of Research, February, 01, 2002.
[6] E. T. Pengelley, "Cross-cultural and historical aspects of sexual behavior",
In P. Zimbardo & C. Maslach: Readings Psychology for our Times.
Glenview, Illinois: Scott, Foresman and Company, 1977, 2nd Edition.
[7] S. Frayser, Varieties of Sexual Experience: An Anthropological
Perspective on Human Sexuality. New Haven, CT: Human Relations
Area File Press, 1985.
[8] W. H. Davenport, "An anthropological approach", In J. H. Geer & W. T.
O-Donohue (Eds.): Theories of Human Sexuality. New York: Plenum,
1987, pp. 197-236.
[9] E. D. Widmer, J. Treas & R. Newcomb, "Attitudes toward non-marital sex
in 24 countries", Journal of Sex Research, 35, 349-358, 1998.
[10] R. D. McAnulty & M. M. Burnette, Exploring Human Sexuality: Making
Healthy Decisions. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2001, p.8.
[11] K. Wellings, et al., "Sexual behavior in context: A global perspective",
World Health Organization, The Lancet Sexual and Reproductive
Health Series, October, 2006.
[12] J. S. Hyde, J. D. Delamater & A. M. Durik, "Sexuality and dual-earner
couple, part II: Beyond the baby years- Statistical data included",
Journal of Sex Research, February 01, 2001.
[13] J. S. Hyde & J. D. Delamater, Understanding Human Sexuality. New
York: McGraw-Hill, 2003.
[14] United Nations, First Marriage: Patterns and Determinants. New York:
Population Division, 1988.
[15] United Nations, Patterns of First Marriage: Timing and Prevalence. New
York: Population Division, 1990.
[16] D. M. Buss, "Love acts: The evolutionary biology of love", In R. J.
Sternberg & M. L. Bernes (eds.): The Psychology of Love. New Haven,
CT: Yale University Press, 1988, pp.100-118.
[17] D. M. Buss, "Sex differences in mate preferences: Evolutionary
hypotheses tested in 37 cultures", Behavioral & Brain Sciences, 12, 1-
49, 1989.
[18] H. Harpending, "Age differences between mates in Southern African
pastoralists", Behavioral & Brain Sciences, 15, 102-103, 1992.
[19] D. Marshall, "Sexual behavior on Mangaia", In D. Marshall & R. Suggs
(eds.): Human Sexual Behavior (p.123). Englewood Cliffs, N. J.:
Prentice-Hall Inc., 1971, p. 123.
[20] A. C. Kinsey, W. B. Pomerov & C. E. Martin, Sexual Behavior in the
Human Male. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders Company, 1948.
[21] A. C. Kinsey, et al., Sexual Behavior in the Human Female. Philadelphia:
W. B. Saunders Company, 1953.
[22] M. Nag, "Sex, culture, and human fertility: India and United States",
Current Anthropology, 13, pp.. 231-238, 1972.
[23] G. M. Barrow & P. A. Smith, Aging, Ageism and Society. New York:
West Publishing Company, 1979.
[24] P. Blumstein & P. Schwartz, American Couples: Money, Work, Sex. New
York: Morrow, 1983.
[25] C. Greenblat, "The salience of sexuality in the early years of marriage",
Journal of Marriage and the Family, 45, pp. 277-289, 1983.
[26] D. L. Decker, Social Gerontology: An Introduction to the Dynamics of
Aging. Boston: Little, Brown & Company, 1980, pp. 222-224.
[27] P. W. Goetz, ed., The New Encyclopaedia Britanica. Chicago:
Encyclopaedia Britanica, Inc., Vol.27, 1985, 15th Edition, p. 258.
[28] A. Greeley, Sex after Sixty: A Report, National Opinion Research Center,
University of Chicago, Unpublished Manuscrpt.
[29] M. Harris, Culture, People, Nature: An Introduction to General
Anthropology. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1993, 6th Edition.
[30] V. Call, S. Sprecher & P. Schwartz, "The incidence and frequency of
marital sex in a national sample", Journal of Marriage and the Family,
57, pp. 639-652, 1995.
[31] D. Bellamy, Ageing: A Biomedical Perspective. New York: John Wiley
and Sons, 1995.
[32] J. H. Gagnon, A comparative study of the couple in the social
organization of sexuality in France and the United States- Statistical data
included. Journal of Sex Research, February 01, 2001.
[33] L. C. Femando, "Sexual survey: A cross-cultural perspective",
Psicologia. Teoria e pesquisa Vol.33, No.1, pp. 71-80, 2007.
[34] B. B. Hess & E. W. Markson, Aging and old Age: An Introduction to
Social Gerontology. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1980.
[35] C. M. Meston, P. D. Trapnell & B. B. Gorzalka, "Ethnic, Gender, and
Length-of residency influences on sexual knowledge and attitudes-,
Journal of Sex Research, May 01, 1998.
[36] M. S. Weinberg, I. Lottes & F. M. Shaver, "Sociocultural correlates of
permissive sexual attitudes: A test of Reiss-s hypotheses about Sweden
and the United States- Statistical data included", Journal of Sex
Research, February 01, 2000.
[37] E. S. Herold, "The social dimension of sex-Review", Journal of Sex
Research, May 01, 2001.
[38] J. S. Hyde, J. D. Delamater & A. M. Durik, "Sexuality and dual-earner
couple, part II: Beyond the baby years- Statistical data included",
Journal of Sex Research, February 01, 2001.
[39] E. S. Byers, "Relationship satisfaction and sexual satisfaction: A
longitudinal study of individuals in long-term relationships", Journal of
Sex Research, May 01, 2005.
[40] E. Hatfield & R. L. Rapson, "Passionate love and sexual desire: Crosscultural
and historical perspectives", In H. Reis, M. A. Fitzpatrick, & A.
Vangelisti, Stability and Change in Relationship Behavior across the
Lifespan (in Press). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press
(file http://www.elainehatfield.com/histor.doc.).
[41] D. B. Langille & L. Curtis, "Factors associated with sexual intercourse
before 15 among female adolescents in Nova Scotia", Canadian Journal
of Human Sexuality, June 22, 2002.
[42] G. Ogden, "Spiritual passion and compassion in late-life sexual
relationships", Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality, Vol. 4, August
14, 2001.
[43] W. Pedersen, S. O. Samuelsen & L. Wichstrom, "Intercourse debut age:
Poor resources, problem behavior, or romantic appeal? A populationbased
longitudinal study", Journal of Sex Research, November 01, 2003
[44] S. S. Rostosky, et al., "Coital debut: The role of religiosity and sex
attitudes in the add health survey-, Journal of Sex Research, November
01, 2003.
[45] J. D. Woody, H. J. D-Souza & R. Russel, "Emotions and motivations in
first adolescent intercourse: An exploratory study based on object
relations theory", Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, March 22,
2003.
[46] D. J. Hensel, J. D. Fortenberry & D. P. Orr, "Situational and relational
factors associated with coitus during vaginal bleeding among adolescent
women", Journal of Sex Research, Vol. 44, No. 3, pp. 269-277, 2007.
[47] M. W.-L. Cheung, et al. "A study of sexual satisfaction and frequency of
sex among Hong Kong Chinese couples", Journal of Sex Research, Vol.
45, No. 2, pp. 129-139, 2008.
[48] R. Tewksbury & S. Golder, "Frequency of sexual activity among men
who visit prostitutes", Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality, Vol. 11,
June 27, 2008.
[49] G. R. Adams, T. P. Gullotta & G. Markstrom-Adams, Adolescent Life
Experiences. Pacofic Grove, Calofornia: Brooks/ Cole Publishing
Company, 1994, 3rd Edition, p. 332.
[50] Wikipadia, Human sexual behavior. The pages were last modified 20:
2007. en.wikipadia.org/wikipadia/marriage. WIKIPADIA Foundation,
Inc, 2007.
[51] K. M. A. Aziz, Kinship in Bangladesh. Dhaka: International Centre for
Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, 1979.
[52] K. M. A. Aziz & C. T. Maloney, Life Stages, Gender and Fertility in
Bangladesh. Dhaka: International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease
Research, Bangladesh, 1985.
[53] C. T. Maloney, K. M. A. Aziz & P. C. Sarker, Beliefs and Fertility in
Bangladesh. Dacca: International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease
Research, Bangladesh, 1981.
[54] P. C. Sarker, Social Structure & Fertility Behaviour: A Cross-Cultural
Study. Dhaka: Centre for development Services, 1997.
[55] A. Z. M. Alam Family Values. Dhaka: Bangladesh Cooperative Society
Limited, 1995.
[56] M. E. Uddin, Family structure in a village of Bangladesh: A crosscultural
study, Ph. D. dissertation, the Institute of Bangladesh Studies,
Rajshahi: Rajshahi University, Unpublished.
[57] S. N. Mitra & G. M. Kamal, Bangladesh Contraceptive Prevalence
Survey-1983. Dhaka: Mitra and Associates, 1985.
[58] S. N. Mitra, et al., Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey-1993-
1994. Dhaka: Mitra and Associates, 1994.
[59] M. B. Duza, ed., South Asia Study of Population Policy and
Program(me)s: Bangladesh. Dhaka: United Nations Population Fund,
1990.
[60] J. E. Philips & M. B. Hossain, The Impact of Family Planning Household
Service Delivery on Women-s Status in Bangladesh. Policy Research
Division Working Papers, No. 118, New York: Population Council,
1998.
[61] Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh.
Ministry of Planning, Government of the People-s Republic of
Bangladesh, Dhaka: Statistics Division, 2001.
[62] M. A. M. Chowdhury, "Correlates of high-risk and low-risk childbearing
pattern in Bangladesh", Ph.D. Dissertation, Rajshahi: University of
Rajshahi, Unpublished.
[63] U. R. Saha, & R. Bairagi, "Inconsistencies in the relationship between
contraceptive use and fertility in Bangladesh", International Family
Planning Perspectives, Vol. 33, No. 1, pp. 31-37, 2007.
[64] M. E. Uddin, "Family structure in a village of Bangladesh: A crosscultural
study", Ph. D. Dissertation, the Institute of Bangladesh Studies,
Rajshahi: University of Rajshahi, Unpublished.
[65] A. Ali, The Santals of Bangladesh. Calcutta: The Sabuge Sangah Press,
1998.
[66] S. Kayes, Cultural change of Santal community of Rajshahi district: An
anthropological study", M. Phil Dissertation, The Institute of
Bangladesh Studies, Rajshahi: University of Rajshahi, Unpublished.
[67] S. Sultana, "Kin relation of the Santal community and its recent changes:
A study of four villages of the Naogaon district", M. Phil Dissertation,
Rajshahi, University of Rajshahi, Unpublished.
[68] B. Levy, The Social Structure of Islam. Cambridge University Press,
1963, 2nd Edition.
[69] M. S. Madani, Impacts of Hindu Culture on Muslims. New Delhi: M. D.
publishings Ptv. Ltd, 1993.
[70] World Bank, Bangladesh: A Proposal for Rural Development Strategy.
Dhaka: The University Press Limited, 2000.
[71] K. A. Toufique & C. Turton, Hands not Land- How Livelihoods are
Changing in Rural Bangladesh. Dhaka: Bangladesh Institute of
Development Studies, 2002.
[72] T. A. Abdulla & S. A. Zeidenstein, Village Women of Bangladesh:
Prospects of Change. New York: Pergamon Press, 1982.
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@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:54279", author = "Md. Emaj Uddin", title = "Marital Duration and Sexual Frequency among the Muslim and Santal Couples in Rural Bangladesh: A Cross-Cultural Perspective", abstract = "Age and sex are biological terms that are socioculturally
constructed for marriage and marital sexual behavior in
every society. Marriage is a universal norm that makes legitimate
sexual behavior between a man and a woman in marital life cycle to
gain bio-social purposes. Cross-cultural studies reveal that marital
sexual frequency as a part of marital sexual behavior not only varies
within the couple-s life cycle, but also varies between and among
couples in diverse cultures. The purpose of the study was to compare
marital sexual frequency in association with age status and length of
marital relationship between Muslim and Santal couples in rural
Bangladesh. For this we assumed that (1) Santal culture compared to
Muslim culture preferred earlier age at marriage for meeting marital
sexual purposes in rural Bangladesh; (2) Marital duration among the
Muslim couples was higher than that among the Santal couples; (3)
Sexual frequency among the younger couples in both the ethnic
communities was higher than the older couples; (4) Sexual frequency
across the Muslim couples- marital life cycle was higher than that the
Santal couples- marital life cycle. In so doing, 288 active couples
(145 for Muslim and 143 for Santal) selected by cluster random
sampling were interviewed with questionnaire method. The findings
of Independent Samples T Test on age at marriage, current age,
marital duration and sexual frequency independently reveal that there
were significant differences in sexual frequency not only across the
couples- life cycle but also vary between the Muslim and Santal
couples in relation to marital duration. The results of Pearson-s Inter-
Correlation Coefficients reveal that although age at marriage, current
age and marital duration for husband and wife were significantly
positive correlated with each other between the communities, there
were significantly negative correlation between the age at marriage,
current age, marital duration and sexual frequency among the
selected couples between the communities.", keywords = "Bangladesh, Cross-Cultural Perspective, MaritalDuration, Muslim, Santal, Marital Sexual Frequency.", volume = "1", number = "12", pages = "808-10", }
