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

Being Single
• Young adults are delaying marriage
– Average age of marriage for men: 26.7
– Average age of marriage for women: 25.1

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

Categories of Singles
Sociologist Peter Stein’s 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

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

Figure 8.2
Singlehood and
Marriage by
Race and
Ethnicity

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

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

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

Figure 8.4 Marital
Status of the
Population by Sex and Race

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

Gay and Lesbian Never-Marrieds
• 45% – 80% of lesbians in a steady or longterm cohabiting relationship
• 40% - 60% of gay men in a steady or longterm committed relationship

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

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

The Act of Marriage
• In today’s 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

Figure 8.5: Importance of
Legal Marriage

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

Social Dimensions of Marriage
Don Browning’s Social Dimensions of
Marriage
1. Marriage as an Organizer of Natural Desires
2. Marriage as a Social Good
3. Marriage as a Communicative Reality
4. Marriage as Sacrament and Covenant
5. Marriage as a Legal Contract

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

Figure 8.7: Sample
Covenant Marriage
Agreement

Figure 8.7 (Continued): Sample Covenant Marriage
Agreement

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

Rights and Privileges of Marriage
The Federal government grants each state the ability to determine the rights, privileges, benefits and responsibilities associated with marriage

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

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

Benefits of Marriage
• Economic Benefits
• Legal Benefits
• Health Benefits
• Children’s Benefits

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

The Transition to Marriage continued
• Fostering a healthy emotional climate
– The expectation that emotional and physical needs will be met by the spouse

Figure 8.8: A
Newly Formed
Subsystem

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

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

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

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 one’s religion is a part of who they are
– Discuss how children will be reared in matters of faith

Marital Satisfaction
• Premarital Couple Typologies
– Vitalized couples
– Harmonious couples
– Traditional couples
– Conflicted couples

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