FRHD 1020 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Common-Law Marriage, Engagement, Norm (Social)

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Family Relations and Human Development
• Course: FRHD 1020
• Professor: Shayna Skakoon- Sparling

Document Summary

Usually marriage was the next step for seriously involved couples. However, this changed in the 21st century, as non-marital cohabitation has become a recent trend. Researchers pay attention to 3 things that may influence recent trends: relationship stability, financial solvency, child adjustment. Cohabitation has moved from being a form of union formation to the preferred social norm that precedes marriage, usually looked at as trial marriage". By the early 1990"s, 55% of us marriages were preceded by cohabitation. There are 6 factors that are connected to the change in union formation patterns over the life course: secularization of society, the feminist movement, birth control, sexual revolution, female labour force participation, rise in divorce rates. Historically, marriage is an institution that formed out of economic necessity. Before, women relied on men to provide for them but this is no longer the case. Social norms regarding sexuality began to adjust to the rapidly changing culture.