Chapter 8: Coupling: From Singlehood to Marriage

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Chapter 8Coupling From Singlehood to Marriage
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Being Single

• Being Single a popular trend
• Explanations for the increasing number of singles
• Individualistic nature of American society
• self fulfillment
• educational attainment
• fulfillment of career goals

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Being Single

• Young adults are delaying marriage
• Average age of marriage for men 26.7
• Average age of marriage for women 25.1

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• Figure 8.1 Average Age of Marriage for Men and
  Women, 1890-2008

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Categories of Singles

• Sociologist Peter Steins typology of singlehood
• Voluntary temporary singles
• never married but not opposed to marriage
• Voluntary permanent singles
• intentionally remaining single
• Involuntary temporary singles
• want to marry and actively seek a mate
• Involuntary permanent singles
• wanted to marry but did not find a mate

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Categories of Singles

• Never-Married Singles
• May be gay or straight
• May cohabit or live alone
• May be young or old

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• Figure 8.2 Singlehood and Marriage by Race and
  Ethnicity

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Increasing Numbers of Singles

• Explanations for increasing numbers
• Being single is more socially acceptable
• Society more accepting of premarital/non-marital
  sexual behavior
• Financial support from parents or caregivers
• High satisfaction with friendship, health,
  economic situation

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• Figure 8.3 Increase in Same-Sex Couples,
  2000-2005

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Gender Differences in Singlehood

• Never Married
• Men experience poorer health, higher rates of
  suicide
• Women better organized, manage lives better
• Young unmarried men and women well educated with
  high status careers and jobs
• Never-married women in later life more
  economically disadvantaged than older, married
  women

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• Figure 8.4 Marital Status of the Population by
  Sex and Race

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Urban Tribes

• Urban tribes are mixed-gender circles of friends
• Primary social support system for singles
• begin as group of friends
• over time assume certain roles
• share rituals
• feel mutual obligations to support and care for
  each other
• do not feel need to rush into marriage

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Gay and Lesbian Never-Marrieds

• 45 80 of lesbians in a steady or long-term
  cohabiting relationship
• 40 - 60 of gay men in a steady or long-term
  committed relationship

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Divorced Singles

• Different divorce rates and trends vary by age
  groups
• Most divorced people will experience life as a
  single person for at least some period of time
  following the end of the marriage

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The Widowed

• More women than men are widowed
• Men are more likely to remarry than women
• Retirement benefits and social security allow
  older adults to live independently

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The Act of Marriage

• In todays culture people marry because they are
  in love
• Other reasons for marrying
• need for companionship
• desire to have children
• desire to be happy
• desire for financial security
• convenience
• dependence on the other
• fear of contracting HIV/AIDS

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• Figure 8.5 Importance of Legal Marriage

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Social Dimensions of Marriage

• According to Whitehead(2004), marriage
• Organizes kinship
• Establishes family identities
• Regulates sexual behavior
• Attaches fathers to their offspring
• Supports childrearing
• Channels economic resources
• Mutual caregiving between generations

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Social Dimensions of Marriage

• Don Brownings Social Dimensions of Marriage
• Marriage as an Organizer of Natural Desires
• Marriage as a Social Good
• Marriage as a Communicative Reality
• Marriage as Sacrament and Covenant
• Marriage as a Legal Contract

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• Figure 8.6 Reasons People Marry, by
  Race/Ethnicity, Age, and Religious Beliefs

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• Figure 8.7 Sample Covenant Marriage Agreement

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• Figure 8.7 (Continued) Sample Covenant Marriage
  Agreement

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Legal Dimensions of Marriage

• Marriage License required in all states
• Allows marriage to occur
• Age legal age of marriage in U.S. is 18
• Medical tests blood tests to discover potential
  genetic disorders
• Kinship siblings and half siblings cannot marry
• No Current Spouse one must be single to marry

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Rights and Privileges of Marriage

• The Federal government grants each state the
  ability to determine the rights, privileges,
  benefits and responsibilities associated with
  marriage

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Implied Rights and Privileges

• Right to visit spouse in the hospital
• Right to make medical decisions on behalf of
  spouse
• Right to joint custody of children
• Right to privileged and confidential
  communication between the husband and wife
• Right to rear children in a manner they deem
  appropriate
• Right to terminate a marriage according to laws
  of the state

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Implied Rights and Privileges

• Specialization each spouse can do the tasks
  they do well
• Instrumental support each spouse assists the
  other physically and emotionally
• Stability commitment to marriage provides this
• Financial responsibility interdependence with
  each other

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Benefits of Marriage

• Economic Benefits
• Legal Benefits
• Health Benefits
• Childrens Benefits

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The Transition to Marriage

• Establishing marital roles
• The conjugal role is culturally defined set of
  behaviors for each spouse
• Establishing marital boundaries
• Boundaries incorporate friends and family and
  need to be negotiated
• Managing the house and the money
• Determining who takes on which household
  responsibilities

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The Transition to Marriage continued

• Fostering a healthy emotional climate
• The expectation that emotional and physical needs
  will be met by the spouse

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• Figure 8.8 A Newly Formed Subsystem

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Blending Culture and Religion

• Heterogamous relationships partners with
  dissimilar backgrounds on one or more dimensions
• Race
• Ethnicity
• Religion
• Socioeconomic status
• Political ideology

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Interracial Marriage

• Factors affecting those who intermarry
• Opportunities for social contacts
• Educational attainment
• Immigration status
• Region of residence

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• Table 8.1 Married Couples in the United States,
  2006, by Race

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Interfaith Marriages

• Ways to strengthen interfaith marriages
• Understand traditions of both faiths
• Do not pressure spouse to convert
• Be sensitive to cross cultural issues
• Recognize that ones religion is a part of who
  they are
• Discuss how children will be reared in matters of
  faith

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Marital Satisfaction

• Premarital Couple Typologies
• Vitalized couples
• Harmonious couples
• Traditional couples
• Conflicted couples

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Marital Couple Types

• Traditional couple types
• Have conventional beliefs about marriage
• Independent couple types
• Value closeness but are competitive
• Separate couple types
• Less companionship than other types
• Mixed couple types
• Combination of marital types