PSY 3123 Final: CHAPTER 4.docx

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSY 3123
• Professor: Mary Theresa Howard

Document Summary

Society and marriage: both government and society at large have a stake in marriage. Legal aspects of marriage: marriage is a legal binding contract governed by law, the civil marriage act became law on july 20, 2005. Some couples draw up a marriage contract with a prenuptial agreement. Marriage in the family life cycle: marriage once marked that an individual had reached adulthood. Intercultural marriage may make adjustment more difficult for a couple. Why marry: provides what one theorist calls an enforceable trust , marriage is considered superior to all other kinds of adult relationships such as nonsexual friendships, domestic partnerships, long-term cohabitation, and single- parent families. Families may have less security in poorer economic times because there is only one wage earner. Shared roles: both partners work and share household responsibilities, more women are sharing the provider role, although on average they contribute less than half the family income bc of their lower hourly earnings.