As recently as 1967, interracial marriage was banned in more than a dozen states. Mis­cegenation—sex between members of different races, whether or not the people involved were married—was also illegal until the U. S. Supreme Court invalidated those laws in 1967. Since the elimination of those discriminatory and racist laws, interracial marriage has increased dramatically—from […]

A large discrepancy exists between the American marriage ideal and actual marriage practices. Although cohabitation, high divorce rates, and extramarital sexual involvement are all antithetical to the traditional ideal, they are widespread. In fact, the most politi­cally conservative area of the country—the so-called Bible Belt—has some of the high­est rates of divorce and numbers of […]

Marriage based on love promises regular companionship, sexual gratification, a loving and enduring involvement, and parenting options—all within the security of a legitimized social institution. And on the whole, married people are happier and healthier, both physi­cally and psychologically, than unmarried people (Pew Research Center, 2009a). Married men move up the career ladder faster and […]

Where Women Choose In a remote part of China, on the shore of a lake at a high altitude, surrounded by towering mountains, the Mosuo society has one of the most unusual marriage arrangements in the world. This ancient matriarchal society of about 50,000 people has lasted nearly 2,000 years and thrives today. Because of […]

Collectivist cultures are likely to practice polygamy—a marriage between one man and several women. Although it is unfamiliar to much of the Western world, polygamy has been the most common form of marriage across the ages, and it remains preva­lent today in the Middle East and other parts of Africa. The religion of Islam allows […]

Scientists who study cultures have identified two opposing characteristics that differentiate cultures from each other: collectivism and individualism. Whether a culture is collectivist or individualist influ­ences its views regarding the purpose of marriage. Collectivist cultures—such as those of contemporary India, Pakistan, Thailand, the Philippines, the Middle East, and other parts of Asia and Africa—emphasize group, […]

Marriage is an ever-changing institution found in virtually every society. It has tra­ditionally served several functions for society and individuals. It typically provides stable family units, in which children acquire knowledge about their society’s rules and mores through the teachings of their married parents or kinship groups. Mar­riage functions as an economic partnership that integrates […]

The more than 1,000 Internet sites in the United States designed for singles to connect with one another have greatly altered the "singles scene." Each month, over 40% of single adults in the United States visit dating sites (Howes, 2011). The largest demographic group using these sites consists of higher-income, college-educated individuals, but the fastest-growing […]

Remaining single instead of marrying or living together, or following divorce, has become an increasingly prominent lifestyle in the United States. In contrast to 1970, four times the percentage of men and women between 30 and 34 years old have never been married—33% of men and 25% of women (Straus, 2006). Single adults comprise 45% […]

Single Living How have adult single-living patterns changed in the United States? In what ways do levels of sexual activity differ between single people and married couples? Cohabitation What explains the significant increase in the number of cohabiting couples in America? Marriage What are the essential differences between marriage in collectivist and individualist cultures? How […]