Marrige

Question 1

Marriage

Answer 1

•overall decline in marriages in the last 40 years

•decline in first marriages and increase in second marriages

•mean ages of marriage increases

•religious marriage decreased

Question 2

Cohabitation

Answer 2

•80% of married people cohabited before marriage

•cohabitation is the fastest frowning family type:
- alternative/ substitute to marriage
-trial marriage

Question 3

Reasons for decline in marriage +growth of cohabitation (women’s role)

Answer 3

•change in women’s roles
- more economically independent, rather have steady careers/ income, men and woman share domestic responsibilities

Question 4

Reasons for decline in marriage +growth of cohabitation (reduce of family functions)

Answer 4

•reduce of family function
-functions transferred or shared with other institutions, marriage is no longer

Question 5

Reasons for decline in marriage +growth of cohabitation (social attitudes/ stigma)

Answer 5

•change in social attitudes/ stigma
-younger people are more likely to cohabitate that older
-doing things “outside of marriage” isn’t bad anymore

Question 6

Reasons for decline in marriage +growth of cohabitation (growing secularisation)

Answer 6

•growing secularisation

-decline in the condemnation of cohabitation and religious influence

Question 7

Reasons for decline in marriage +growth of cohabitation (rising divorce rate)

Answer 7

•rising divorce rate
- the risk involved in marriage not lasting

Question 8

Reasons for decline in marriage +growth of cohabitation (reducing risk)

Answer 8

•reducing risk
-beck:we live in a ‘risk society’ where individuals are less in control by traditions

-socially acceptable alternatives

Question 9

Divorce, empty shell marriage, serial monogamy

Answer 9

Divorce- multiple stage of separation before legal separation

Empty shell marriage- marriage is over but they are still together

Serial monogamy- only being married to one person at a time

Question 10

Variation in divorce in social group

Answer 10

Age of marriage- twice as likely to get a divorce (immaturity, resentment, money issues, early pregnancy)

Social classes- WC have high divorce rate then MC (money issues, insecurity, lack of education)

Different social background- average divorce rate (religion, ethnicity)

Question 11

Reasons for the increase in divorce

Answer 11

•changes in law- cheaper and accessible to men/ woman

•change in women’s law- women’s expectations have risen, women increase of employment/ financial freedom

•high expectations in marriage- high standards, no more tolerance such as love, sexual compatibility, understanding

•growing secularisation- religion have less influence,

•better/ effective contraception

•reduce of family function- marriage is less practical