MARRIAGE

By: Bailey Knudsen

Defining “Marriage”
◦ Noun: (broadly) any of the
diverse forms of interpersonal
union established in various parts
of the world to form a familial
bond that is recognized legally,
religiously, or socially, granting the
participating partners mutual
responsibilities.
Marital Trends in the U.S.
◦ Recently, marriage rates have declined dramatically
◦ 72% married in 196048.6% in 2012
◦ In 2010, 27% adults had never married

◦ The average age for a first marriage is increasing

◦ 23-years-old for men and 20 for women in 196029.3-years-old for men and 27 for women now
◦ The average length of marriage in the U.S. is nine years
◦ Despite the trends showing fewer marriages, most Americans still marry
◦ By 40-yeas-old, 77% of adults had been married (2012)
◦ In a poll, 40% of young adults said marriage was heading toward extinction, but only 5% of them said
they didn’t want to marry
A Increasingly Popular Way To Look For A
Connection
◦ Many American adults are searching for relationships ONLINE!
◦ According to a Pew Research Center survey (2015), 15% of American adults have used online/mobile dating
apps.
◦ The majority of online daters are young adults ranging from ages 18-24-years-old.
◦ While there are varying opinions, about 59% of people think online dating is a good way to meet people and
many think that it is more convenient and efficient than meeting in person.
Why Do People Get Married?
◦ A study carried out by Pew Research
Center (2013), surveyed Americans
regarding the most important reason
to get married.
◦ The overwhelming majority (88%)
responded with “love” as a very
important reason for marriage, followed
by “making a lifelong commitment”,
“companionship”, and so on..
◦ Breakdown of survey responses can be
seen in the figure
Benefits of a Good Marriage
◦ Live longer and healthier lives than
unhappily married or divorced
individuals
◦ Less physical and emotional stress,
resulting in less damage on the body
and decreased risk of physical and
psychological problems ( high blood
pressure, heart disease, anxiety,
depression, etc.)
Benefits of a Good Marriage (Continued)
◦ Less likely to commit suicide
◦ Enjoy more social support than
cohabiting couples
◦ Happier in general compared to
cohabiters, and those who do not
cohabit before marriage report being
happier than those who do
So, How Do
You Make A
Marriage
Successful?

John Gottman has

extensively
researched marital
relationships. He
has found that
certain principles
determine whether
or not a marriage
will “work”…
Gottman’s Theory: How To Make a Marriage
Successful
◦ Establish love maps
◦ Willingly share your feelings with each other and use love maps to express your understanding and
appreciation for each other
◦ Nurture fondness and admiration for one another
◦ Always put a positive view on your marriage’s history
◦ Turn toward your partner
◦ See your spouse as a friend and turn to them often
◦ Be willing to let your partner influence you
◦ Share power and respect your spouse’s opinion
◦ Create shared meaning
◦ Share goals with your partner and work together to achieve them
Interviews Regarding Marriage...
Interview: Joe, a 23-Year-Old Male
Information gathered in the interview:
◦ Happily married to his 21-year-old “best
friend” for about 2 years
◦ Didn’t expect to marry at such a young age,
but fell in love and marriage felt right
◦ Felt slight societal judgement for getting
married so young, but doesn’t regret his
decision
◦ Believes that happy marriages are important
in life and for families.
◦ Feels that trust, honesty, respect, loyalty,
and equality are some of the contributing
factors to his happy marriage.
Compared to marital trends and
typical early adult development:
◦ Joe differs from US marital trends because he got
married at 21-years-old, while the average age for men
to marry is about 29-years-old.
◦ Because Joe married for love, he agrees with the
majority of members of Pew Research study in which
88% of respondents listed love as the most important
reason for marriage.
◦ Joe’s happy marriage may have to do with the qualities
he described. These qualities align almost identically
with John Gottman’s keys to making marriage work.
◦ Joe has established commitment to a marriage at a
young age, which differs from the typical characteristics
of young adults, who usually experience exploration,
instability, and change in their love lives.
Interview: Whitney, a 24-Year-Old Female
Information gathered in the interview:
◦ Single
◦ Living with roommates while finishing college
◦ Is enjoying dating around and just having fun with
no commitments
◦ Meets potential dates both in person and online
(Tinder, Instagram, etc.)
◦ Might want to get married eventually, but hasn’t
decided yet because she feels too young to even
think about it
◦ Wants to be graduated, established, and financially
stable before even considering marriage
Compared to marital trends and
typical early adult development:
◦ Whitney’s opinions regarding marriage align
closely with the norms in the U.S. While it is
impossible to know yet if/when she marries, so
far she is consistent with the trends of not being
married, at least at a young age.
◦ Whitney is following the current trend of
searching for romantic interests online.
◦ Whitney is a typical emerging adult because she is
enjoying the experimentation and change that her
college and dating experiences bring. She is
focusing on herself and establishing her identity.
THANK YOU FOR
WATCHING!
References
◦ Definition for “marriage”:
◦ http://www.dictionary.com/browse/marriage

◦ Theories/Studies (2):
◦ Santrock, J. W. (2017). Essentials of Life-Span Development (5th Ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill
◦ http://marripedia.org/effects.of.marriage.on.mental.health

◦ Interviews:
◦ Joe (pseudonym)
◦ Whitney (pseudonym)

◦ Additional information:
◦ http://marripedia.org/effects.of.marriage.on.mental.health

◦ Photos:
◦ https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-622de139c8c51aae8439bce7e365c284-c
◦ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding
◦ https://brooklynweddings.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/brooklyn-wedding-venue-6.jpg?w=360&h=360&crop=1
◦ http://www.imagefully.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Happy-Marriage-Life-Wishes-Graphic-Share-On-Facebook1.jpg
◦ http://static.oprah.com/images/200502/omag/200502-omag-happy-old-600x411.jpg
◦ https://d2v9y0dukr6mq2.cloudfront.net/video/thumbnail/2HqZxjJ/couple-silhouette-walking-in-the-highlands-holding-hands-with-the-sunset-golden-hour-the-sun-a-warm-color-slow-motion_hefg-
z2ka_thumbnail-full01.png
◦ https://image.freepik.com/free-photo/person-writing-on-a-laptop_1232-639.jpg
◦ http://etowahcounty.churchwebfuel.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/185/2016/02/marriage-2.jpg