Marriage and cohabitation Flashcards
What are some reasons for the decline in marriage rates?
Changing attitudes
Secularisation
Declining stigma around alternatives
Women’s independence
Fear of divorce
Increase in cohabitation
Economic costs of weddings
What percentage of marriages were remarriages in 2006?
40%, up from 15% in 1971.
What did Chester (1985) argue about marriage trends?
People are not rejecting marriage but delaying it, often cohabiting first. He sees this as a neo-conventional trend.
How many families were headed by a married couple in 2005?
7 out of 10.
What is the New Right’s view on declining marriage rates?
They see it as a threat to social stability and the nuclear family. They argue marriage is essential for morality, commitment, and raising children.
Why has cohabitation increased?
Decline in stigma
Secularisation
Economic constraints
Changing gender roles
Seen as a trial before marriage or a substitute
What percentage of births are now to cohabiting couples?
Around 30%.
What did the ONS (2007) say about cohabiting couples?
They are the fastest growing family type in Britain.
What did Burgoyne (1982) suggest about cohabitation?
It’s usually a temporary stage, with most cohabiting couples eventually marrying.
What does Fletcher (1988) argue about births outside marriage?
Many births happen in stable relationships, resembling conventional nuclear families despite not being formalised by marriage.
What does the New Right think about cohabitation?
They disapprove, seeing it as casual and morally problematic, especially if children are involved.
When did cohabitation among gay and lesbian couples rise significantly?
Since the 1970s, following the decriminalisation of homosexuality.
What did Plummer (1995) find about gay men?
Between 40–60% of gay men cohabit in relationships that last over a year.
