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Getting Married

Getting Married. Ch. 8. Marital Status: The Changing Picture. The marriage rate has declined. The divorce rate has increased. The birth rate has steadily declined. Marital Status: The Changing Picture . Today fewer than 57% of U.S. adults are married.

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Getting Married

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  1. Getting Married Ch. 8

  2. Marital Status: The Changing Picture • The marriage rate has declined. • The divorce rate has increased. • The birth rate has steadily declined.

  3. Marital Status: The Changing Picture • Today fewer than 57% of U.S. adults are married. • Throughout the first half of the twentieth century, the trend was for more and more people to marry and at increasingly younger ages. • About 80% of those unions lasted until the children left home. • By 2009, the median age at first marriage for both men and women had risen to 25 for women and 28 for men. • The growing divorce rate has contributed to the increased number of singles. • In 2008, 9% of men and 12% of women age eighteen and over were divorced.

  4. Marital Status of the U.S. Population, age 18 and over, 2008

  5. Marital Status of the U.S. Population, age 18 and over, 2008

  6. Valuing Marriage • From a change perspective, policy advocates view poverty as causing environments with negative consequences • From a decline perspective, there are concerns about “family breakdown” which includes the amount of money spent on “welfare_ for poverty-level single mothers, along with the irresponsible socialization of children

  7. The Time-Honored Marriage Premise: Permanence and Sexual Exclusivity • Expectations of permanence derive from the fact that historically marriage was a practical institution. • In the United States today, marriage seldom involves merging two families’ properties. • Marriage in the United States: • legally requires monogamy • expectations of sexual exclusivity • Expectations of sexual exclusivity have broadened to include expectations of emotional centrality, or putting one’s partner first. • Providing love and ongoing emotional support has become key for most people.

  8. Why Do People Marry? The Need for Intimacy Social Expectations Social Ideals and Personal Fulfillment Desire for Children Marriage as a Practical Solution

  9. Proportion of the Population Married, by Sex and Age: 2009 Source:U.S. Census Bureau 2010a.

  10. Marriage Rates Source: National Center for Health Statistics website.

  11. Types of Marriage: Nature of the Relationship Devitalized Financially Forced Conflicted Traditional Balanced Harmonious Vitalized

  12. Expectations Our Private Contracts Role Expectations Negotiation: Changing Personal Contracts The Marriage Contract: Clarifying Expectations

  13. Preparation for Marriage • Family life courses and premarital counseling provide guidance and skills for marriage and family • Research shows they do improve communication skills and relationship quality at least in the short term • Success also depends on the personality traits of the individual and the couple characteristics

  14. The Wedding Legal Considerations Planning and Carrying Out the Wedding

  15. Adjusting to Marriage His Marriage and Her Marriage Starting with Two Strikes Establishing Equity and Consensus Adjustment and In-Law Relationships

  16. Commitment The Meaning of Commitment The Role of Commitment Building Commitment

  17. Creating Couple Connection • Keep relationship a high priority. • Marriage is happier when both spouses work. • Supportive and positive communication. • Enjoy leisure activities together. • Consciously and continuously strive to maintain intimacy.

  18. Deinstitutionalized Marriage: Examining the Consequences Married Couples: 1. Had greater wealth and assets. 2. Earned higher wages. 3. Had more frequent and better sex. 4. Had overall better health. 5. Were less likely to engage in risk-taking. 6. Had fewer alcohol-related problems. 7. Had lower rates of marijuana use. 8. Were more likely to engage in healthy behaviors. 9. Evidenced an “orderly life style. 10. More happy Children in married families: 1. Were about half as likely to drop out of high school. 2. Reported more frequent contact and better-quality relationships with their parents. 3. Were significantly less likely to live in poverty.

  19. Median Income by Types of Family, 1990-2007

  20. Rate Your Marital Preference

  21. Rate Your Marital Preference (Contd)

  22. Rate Your Marital Preference (Contd)

  23. Attitudes about Marriage Roles Source: Adapted from Kaufman (2005).

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