Marriage mobility and perceived status of U.S. Presidents

Intraclass courtship and marriage is prevalent in the United States. When marriage mobility occurs, the pattern is generally for a woman to marry a man of higher status (i.e., hypergamy) rather than a man of lower status (i.e., hypogamy). This reflects a sexist tradition in which women are evaluated according to their husband’s social status rather than their lineage or accomplishments (Leslie, 1982; Whyte, 1990).