Diversity in Families Maxine Baca Zinn D. Stanley Eitzen

Chapter Eight:

Contemporary Marriages

Chapter Eight Overview

Marriage: Private and Public Spheres

Recent Trends

Are There Benefits to Marriage?

Micro Aspects of Marriage

Marriage: Private and Public Spheres

Marriage creates a unique relationship in profound and complex ways.

Marriage is a dynamic rather than a concrete entity.

Macro Influences on Marriage

The Law

The Issue of Homosexual Marriages

Religion

Societal Gender Expectations

Recent Trends

1. Unmarried Adults – The number of singles and cohabiting heterosexuals is increasing.

Unmarried—never m, widowed, divorced

Living alone—1/4 of all households

Co-habitation—

Cohabitation-reasons

• 1. Same sex partners-marriage prohibited

• 2. Financial

• sharing expenses

• not-econ stable for marriage

• 3. Prelude to marriage

• 4. Older couples—lose econ benefits

• Soc security, widow status, estate

Cohabitation-statistics

• 2000—4.9 million—opp.sex—co-habitation• 1980---1.6 million• 1969---523,000• ____________• 41%--include a child under 18• ½--first marriages preceded by cohabitat.• Most marry or split within 18 months• ½ cohabitating couples marry• Somewhat higher divorce rate than never cohab.• 40% of all children will spend time with mother &• cohabitating partner

2. Age at First Marriage – The median age of first marriage is increasing for women and men.

90% eventually marryMedian age of first marriage: men women1900 26 22 1960 22.8 20.32000 26.8 25.1Effect: advanced educ, reduces # child., indep and flexibility—life choices.

3. Family Size – The fertility rate has declined steadily throughout most of the last 200 years.

average household 2.6 persons 3.1 –thirty yrs ago 2002 white 2.4 black 2.7 native amer 2.8 asian amer 2.9 latino 3.5

Recent Trends

Racial Mixed Marriages – Interracial and interethnic marriages are increasing, but 95% of all marriages are between partners of the same race. (homogamy)

Life Span and Marriage – Increased longevity is one explanation for the relatively high rate of divorce.

Recent Trends

Divorce – Stabilized in the late 1990s at around 4.2 couples divorcing per 1000.

Remarriage – Most divorced persons remarry.

• Remarriage—

• men—75%

• women—60%

• Tendency—majority soon after divorce

• ½ within 3 years.

• less likely for older women

The Benefits of Marriage Research shows that marriage benefits

the partners involved in several ways:

1) Better physical and mental health

2) Better sex lives

3) More economic resources

Health benefits

• Causes:• males—less risky behavior• monitored by spouse• wife assists in dealing with stress• sense of meaning, obligation,• responsibility to others• improved mental health—less depre,• anxiety

2. Better sex lives

• More often--comparative frequency

• Enjoy it more—physically & emotionally

3. More economic resources

• 1. Increased productivity of men

• 2. economic contribution of women

• Effect: better nutrition, housing, travel

• May be that econ benefits—

• Instead of marriage bond that generates

• better emotional & physical health

The Benefits of Marriage Reconsidered

The benefits of marriage change when race, class, and gender are factored in:1) The poor do not necessarily benefit economically from marriage.

less marriage-where jobs unstable, low-w women not interested in marriage

2) This is especially true for racial minorities.3) Many times, there is a “his” and “hers” marriage.

Men benefit more from marr.--receive more care regardless of emotional quality Women benefits—depend on quality

Marital Success: Stability & Quality

• Cuber and Haroff—stability not same as satisfaction• Study of affluent couples—similar• 5 types of stable/enduring marriages:• a. Conflict-habituated-centered on tension:• quarreling, nagging, sarcasm, put-down• b. Devitalized –duty• c. Passive congenial—love not expected• stability allowed other pursuits• d. Vital marriages—true intimacy in all import.• matters• e. Total—more multi-faceted—involved in work

Marital Success: Quality

Factors that influence marriage quality:1) Shared social characteristics-homogamous—why? shared values, politics, religion2) Economic and personal resources—success can hold a marriage together.3) Dual-earner couples

positive—financial; negative--conflicts

4) The division of household labor

women spend twice as much time

2/3 to 1/3 relationship of housework

less women, more men— 1960

men increase housework when:

1. higher male education

2. wives’ jobs -similar or higher p

Marital Success

Factors that influence marriage quality:5) Role fit—consensus

traditional/egalitarian6) Social class—m/cl—more egalitarian7) Children—not correlated with m.quality

U curve or declining over time 1st 10 yrs sharply, then gradually

8) Life cycle9) Communication—negotiation over difficulties

The Sexual Relationship in Marriage

Gendered Sexual Intimacy – Women and men differ in their sexuality.

The Sexual Stages in Marriage – Sexual contact occurs most often early in marriages.

Sex as Power – Sex can be used as an instrument of power.

Power and Decision Makingin Marriage

Sources of Power in Marriage

a) Resources—income

75%--7000 couples--power related

to income

b) Social Class --ideology & behavior

c) Race and Ethnicity

Latinas—more equality when wife works

Af Amer---most egalitarian

Power and Decision Makingin Marriage

Individual Factors—age & size

Reconstructing gender roles

• Building an egalitarian marriage• Pepper Schwartz—Peer Marriage• Study of couples—based on equality, • equity and intimacy• Shared:• 1. household work—no more than 60/40• 2. both believe equal influence-decisions• 3. both feel equal control of econ. Assets• 4. work of each given equal weight•

Future of marriage

• Changing or dying