Trends

Question 1

Marriage statistic 1

Answer 1

In 1940 only 9% of marriages had one or both partners married before

Question 2

Marriage statistic 2

Answer 2

In 1970 only 63% of men and 71% of women were married by the age of 40

Question 3

Change in marriage reasons

Answer 3

Change in social attitudes (cohabitation and sex before marriage more accepted now)

Decline in family values (traditional family values declining- Margeret Thatcher- first woman prime minister)

The changing role of women ( women now given more rights such as they are allowed to vote)

Individualisation ( Beck and Beck Gernshiem- Individuals now no longer tied to traditional norms and values

Question 4

Divorce statistic 1

Answer 4

ONS 2014 - estimates that 42% of marriages will end in divorce

Question 5

Divorce statistic 2

Answer 5

In 1960 there were 23,868 divorces in England and Wales

Question 6

Change in Divorce reasons

Answer 6

Higher expectations of marriages - functionalist Ronald Fletcher argued higher divorce rates linked to higher value placed on marriage

Change in social attitudes- less stigma placed on divorce.
weak religious beliefs (secularisation)

The changing role of women - since 1970’s more married women are employed giving them a sense of financial independency and welfare benefits for women with dependent children

Individualisation- Beck and Beck Gernshiem- In late modernity there is less agreement on what marriage would be like meaning the nature of relationship is open to negotiation (Chaos of love)

Question 7

Cohabitation statistics 1

Answer 7

ONS 2012- percentage of people aged 16 or over who cohabited increased from 6.5 in 1996 to 11.7 in 2012

Question 8

Cohabitation statistics 2

Answer 8

Between 1996 to 2012 the over 65s had the largest percentage in cohabitation

Question 9

Change in cohabitation reasons

Answer 9

Change in social attitudes
Decline in family values
Indiviualisation
single-hood ( creative single hood- remain single is a life choice