Family structures, dynamics, and social relationships

Family & Sociology of Marriage

The purpose and social function of marriage has changed. While marriage was once a binding declaration of commitment and love to another person of the opposite gender, avowed and proclaimed in a holy ceremony, today marriage has become a catch all; a legally binding contract between two people who, for any reason, can choose to end the marriage without stigma or difficulty. Today, half of marriages end in divorce (CDC, 2010). And yet, millions of people remain happily married in America. Why? How? What is it that enables some couples to remain not just married, but happily so? Sociologists have analyzed the social, cognitive, and emotional consequences and detriments to failed marriages on the family. Results seem to indicate that successful marriages are not successful by chance, but rather, the product of hard work, compromise and mutual respect. While these criteria do not guarantee a successful marriage, they are correlated with higher satisfaction rates among married couples.

Family life

As a pillar to family functioning, marriage has served several important social objectives; it provides a foundation for couples to not only declare their love for one another, but also serves as a social instrument for the propagation of family and children. Marriage may have traditionally been an institution of love and affection, a demonstration of bonding for a man and a woman, but times have changed and perhaps no other social custom has changed as much as that of marriage. While social customs and behaviors have changed over the course of the last century, marriage has been, until recently, a relatively constant social custom while divorce rates, historically, have remained at bay. However, times change, and with that change, has come a shift in perception of the function of marriage in conjunction with the prevalence of divorce, compared to prior generations and modern situational factors.

Changes in marriage and divorce rates over time

Stevenson and Wolfers (2007) analyzed marriage and divorce trends over a 150-year span. In doing so, they found that the divorce rate, per capita, has risen while marriage rates, fluctuating from era to era, have remained relatively constant around a stable mean (Stevenson and Wolfers, 2007) in part, due to the changes associated with social and economic factors. While divorce rates doubled between the mid-1960's to the mid-1970's, many social factors may have contributed to this steep increase; the rise of the women's liberation movement and the resulting "sexual revolution," the Supreme Court decision in Loving v. Virginia, 388 U.S. 1 (1967), that held marriage a fundamental right under the U.S. Constitution, which effectively eliminated inter-racial prohibitions to marriage have all contributed to increases in divorce rates in America. Also, with the effects of increased labor market participation among women and the elimination of "fault" in divorce proceedings, divorce rates have increased (Stevenson and Wolfers, 2007).

Finances

Dakin and Wampler (2008) note that financial issues are among the primary reasons married couples divorce. While stress about financial concerns may lead to both an increase in spousal hostility and a decrease in spousal "warmth" (Freeman, Carlson, & Sperry. 1993, p. 325), it is important to note that such stress can influence cognitive, emotional and behavioral responses among married couples (Dakin and Wampler, 2008). While financial concerns certainly affect the quality of marriage, Rogers (2004) suggests that money worries may exacerbate an already deficient relationship. In other words, money isn't the only reason couples squabble and divorce; it's only the icing on the cake. With the increases in divorce rates, it is important to consider not only the factors that contribute to divorces, but, perhaps even more importantly, what factors are associated with successful marriages.

Contributing factors to successful marriages

While many resources are available proclaiming to provide the "secret" to a lasting marriage, not all are reliable, less are credible. However, the scholarly literature suggests that successful unions have some commonalities; trust, open communication, humor, physical and sexual intimacy, and ability to compromise, fidelity. Reis and Collins (2000) observe that empathy is strongly correlated with successful marriages. However, with the overwhelming resources available to support marriages and married couples, it seems some factors are strongly associated with the dissolution of marriages.

Contributing factors to failed marriages

A simple review of the online "literature" suggests that there are many factors and contributors to divorces. Each of these entries are more rife with anger, resentment and betrayal than the last. However, several commonalities again emerge in correlation with failed marriages; infidelity, financial concerns, child rearing practices, spending practices, alcohol and drug use, pornography consumption, young age and the birth of a child, young age when first marrying to name a few.

While marriage remains a pursuit for many, it seems that the purpose of marriage, compounded with the ease of divorce, has created an atmosphere of indifference to the once holy sacrament of marriage. The consequences of divorce, of broken families, of broken homes, continue to be of interest to sociologists. However, the impact of increased divorce rates on society and on the individual suggest that marriage, as an institution, is no longer as valued as it once was.