Sociology Now, Census Update

dissolve, there will be no legal means of distributing household resources equitably,
and no spousal support after the “divorce.”

Explanations of Nonmarital Choices.Sociologists offer numerous explanations for the
increases in delayed marriage, singlehood, and cohabitation. First, these changes are
partially explained by new practices, such as courtship and dating. After all,
arranged marriages usually take place when the children are younger. But courtship
and dating are linked to the worldwide increase in the status of women. While it’s
true that arranged marriages affected both boys and girls, increased individual choice
of marriage partners enables more women to seek educational and economic
advancement and rests on increasing choices for women.
Second, these changes tend to be associated with higher levels of education—for
both males and females. For decades, many young people, especially in industrialized
countries, have been seeking and gaining more education to compete in the global
marketplace. The higher the level of education, the later people get married. In China,
for example, which currently accounts for more than 20 percent of young people in
the developing world, schooling has increased, and adolescent labor has decreased.
The average age at marriage began to rise, and the vast majority of males and females
now marries after age 20 (“Age at First Marriage and Divorce,” 2007).
Third, these changes are partially explained by changing sexual behaviors and
attitudes, especially increased acceptance of “premarital sex.” For a long time, sex-
ual activity before marriage was referred to as “premarital” because it was assumed
that the couple involved would be in a serious, committed relationship and intend
to marry. However, some people engage in sexual relations during a casual dating

FORMING FAMILIES 397

0.9 7.3 8.2

15.5 16.9

17.4

4.7

12.3

13.6

13.7

12.2

8.1

16.0

4.0

10.8

12.4

12.1

10.9

7.2

1.4

1.3

0.7

1.4

1.2

1.6

1.3

0.9

White alone

Black or African

American alone

American Indian and

Alaska Native alone

Asian alone

Native Hawaiian and

Other Pacific Islander

alone

Some other race alone

Two or more races

Hispanic or Latino

(of any race)

White alone, not

Hispanic or Latino

0 5 10 15 20

Same-sex partners Opposite-sex partners

FIGURE 12.2Married Couple and Unmarried Partner Households

Source:U. S. Census Bureau, 2003.