2.2 How Does Sociology Explain Social Patterns of Marriage and Parenthood?

LO 2.2: Compare different sociological theoretical explanations of social behavior.

Photo 2.3

A Couple on Their Wedding Day

The U.S. marriage rate, the number of marriages occurring per 1,000 women in a year, has declined (Washington & Anderson, 2023). The marriage rate for 2011 was 16.3 compared to 14.9 in 2021 (Washington & Anderson, 2023). However, most U.S. high school seniors (71%) expect to get married at some point, which is like their expectations in 1976 (74%) (Brown, 2022). Expectations about marriage have not changed much. However, when and whether people marry has changed. Researchers note that the declining marriage rate is likely a result of the older age at which couples now get married (Smock & Schwartz, 2020). Today’s teenagers will get married, they will just be older when they first marry compared to earlier generations. As a result, fewer young adults are currently married. Fewer younger people getting married leads to a declining marriage (and remarriage) rate, but most people will marry at some point.