Avoidance

Certain persons who stand in definite social relationship to each other are required to avoid each other formally in many cultures.These persons may usually be of the opposite sex or also be of the same sex.

Avoidance seems to be generally practised between persons who are affinally related.Thus we have avoidance relationships between daughter-in-law and her parents-in-law and between son-in-law and his mother-in-law. Such relations are never mutual or equal because it is the duty of man to avoid his mother-in-law who is in a higher plane of authority.Avoidance also extends to all the women who stand in the category of a mother to his wife.

Avoidance may continue throughout the life of a person as in the case of parent-in-law avoidance or may be reduced or even erased after birth of child etc.

Avoidance may also exist between father and daughter and between brother and sister.The attempt is to reduce any form of intimacy that is prohibited due to incest taboos.