Changing patterns

Question 1

INCREASING DIVORCE RATES

Answer 1

40% of marriages now end in divorce. The reasons for the increase over the past 60 years include:

Legal changes - divorce has become easier to access; equalising the grounds between both genders; widening the grounds (eg. irretrievable breakdown).

**Less stigma - divorce has become more common and widely accepted.
**
Secularisation - decline in religious influence on society.

Higher expectations of marriage - the rising expectation of marriage based upon unrealistic scenarios shown in movies has led to the dissatisfaction amongst many couples (Fletcher).

Women’s financial independence - more women are now in paid employment, and lone parent welfare benefits are available. Women are less economically dependent on a man, and can afford divorce.

Question 2

Decreasing Marriage rates

Answer 2

Reasons for the decline in the number of people getting married include:

Changing attitudes - less pressure to marry
Alternatives to marriage (such as cohabitation) are less stigmatised
Women’s economic independence
Impact of feminism - some women now see marriage as a patriarchal institution
Rising divorce rates - this may put women off marrying

Other trends in marriage:

Rise in serial monogamy - many people re-marry
**Later marriages **- the young spend longer in education and cohabit before marrying
Fewer church weddings - due to secularisation

Question 3

PARTNERSHIPS

Answer 3

More people are living together without being married (secularisation, stigma and cost)

Increase in same-sex partnerships (secularisation and stigma)

More people living alone (life expectancy and stigma)

Question 4

Childbearing and Childrearing

Answer 4

More children are born outside marriage

Women are having children later

Radical feminists are still unhappy with women being the main caregivers