FAMILY - Changing Patterns of Marriage Flashcards
TRUE OR FALSE = Marriage in the UK became MORE POPULAR in the second half of the 20th century!
FALSE - Marriage in the UK became much less popular in the second half of the 20th century.
TRUE OR FALSE = The number of first marriages in the UK DECLINED during the 1970s, despite the population continuing to increase.
TRUE!
Name one major event in the UK that lead to a dramatic fluctuation in the number of marriages.
WORLD WAR 2 = There was a dramatic peak of marriages in 1940 (as people wanted to be married before they went off to war, in order to get the ‘widow’s pension’ if their partner died during the war). There was then a dramatic slump during the rest of the war (as many men were off fighting).
TRUE OR FALSE = The period since the early 1970s has experienced a STEADY DECLINE in the number of marriages.
TRUE!
TRUE OR FALSE = At times in the 1980s and 1990s, marriage was at a more RAPID INCREASE.
FALSE = At times in the 1980s and 1990s, marriage was a more rapid decline!
Did the creation of civil partnerships, the acceptance of same-sex marriages and the changing trends regarding celebrity and royal weddings led to any fluctuations in the marriage rates?
YES!
TRUE OR FALSE = 2017 saw the HIGHEST number of heterosexual weddings since records began, in the UK!
FALSE = 2017 saw the lowest number of heterosexual weddings since records began, in the UK!
What are the 4 main explanations for the overall decline in the popularity of marriage/the decline in marriage rates?
- Secularisation
- Divorce rates
- Expense
- The pure relationship
What impact did secularisation have on the decline in marriage rates?
The declining significance of religion in UK society could have contributed to the declining popularity of marriage = For many people in the UK, marriage is no longer a religious ceremony, and there is no social stigma associated with cohabitation (couples living together without being married) which was once thought of as “living in sin”. This is further evidenced by the fact that, while there has been some fluctuation in numbers of marriages, the number of religious ceremonies has continued to steadily decline.
What impact did divorce rates have on the decline in marriage rates?
There has been a dramatic increase in the number of divorces. This could have had the effect of putting people off getting married, as so many end in divorce.
What impact did the expense of marriage have on the decline in marriage rates?
Apparently the average wedding in the UK costs over £27,000.
What impact did the ‘pure relationship’ have on the decline in marriage rates?
Anthony Giddens (1995) = He has written about the quest today for the ‘perfect relationship’. This, again, could put some off getting married if they’re always imagining a better relationship is around the corner. The role of marriage has changed, certainly, as it is all about the perfect relationship rather than the financial security that particularly women used to use the institution for in earlier periods.
What sociologist studied the ‘perfect relationship’?
Anthony Giddens (1995)!
What is another significant trend regarding marriage that came about in the second half of the 20th century?
Delaying your wedding!
TRUE OR FALSE = The average age that people get married at has continually RISEN since the 1970s.
TRUE!
