Retrospective accounts of 42 married couples were used to construct a developmental model of courtship. A basic three-stage pattern was found to characterize the majority of relationships from initial acquaintance to marriage: Casual Dating, Serious Dating and Engagement. Changes in the relationships were measured through the use of a standardized…

Tested the hypothesis that practice has a positive effect on several kinds of student learning in a functional marriage course. The major finding in the data was that a workbook type of practice had a significant and important short-term and long-term effect on students' ability to apply abstract ideas. (Author)

Examines determinants of a first marital disruption between 1968 and 1973 for young women who were married at any point during that interval. Whereas economic factors were found to have some importance, other social and demographic factors appeared to have a more significant independent effect on the probability of disruption. (Author)

The concept of family life cycle has become increasingly prominent in the study of family development--the formation, maintenance, change, and dissolution of marriage and family relations. An evaluation of this concept is accomplished by examining the relationships between three possible stratification schemes: stage of the family life cycle,…

The objective of two studies was to devise an assessment procedure for the evaluation of therapy with distressed marriages. An extension of behavior exchange theory was proposed to include phenomenological ratings by the couple of the intent of messages sent and the impact of messages received. Convergent criteria were used to select 14…

Reveals that families influence marriage timing indirectly, through impact on school as an alternative to marriage. Black girls more often come from families with attributes leading to early marriage, but are only half as likely to form early marriages as White girls from similar educational and family backgrounds. (Author)

Explores trends in marital satisfaction over three generations using a two-dimensional measure. Findings do not indicate linear decline culminating in disenchantment. Youngest generations report high positive interaction and high negative sentiments; middle generations, low levels of both; and older generations, high positive interaction with…

The present study focuses on multiple dimensions of face-to-face marriage interaction as the basis for identifying patterns or "types" of couple relating. The research assumes that it is possible to classify marriage relationships by criteria which are objective enough to allow replication and concensus. Particular emphasis is placed on the…

This investigation compared courtship patterns and early marital adjustment in a sample of 30 white middle class couples, slightly less than half of whom had lived together prior to marriage. Intensive interviews were conducted individually and conjointly with all couples at specified intervals prior to and following marriage. Interviews were…

Men and women were randomly chosen from courthouse divorce files. After initial contact by mail and by phone, those who agreed were mailed questionnaires developed to assess adjustment to divorce and to obtain information about the nature of divorce. Of those sent questionnaires, 44% completed and returned the assessment; the total sample…

A study of dating behavior by McDaniel was replicated, using a single adult population instead of college undergraduates. The hypothesis stated that recreational dating was associated with peer orientation, low commitment and assertive behavior; that mate selection dating was associated with family orientation, medium commitment and…

In this study of 152 people who are interested in alternative life styles, the author presents some empirical evidence regarding some of the predisposing factors that may influence individuals to reject the conventional monogamous marriage and become attracted to and involved in unconventional relationships. Stressing that the childhood…

Examines the relationship between voluntary childlessness and marital adjustment. Voluntarily childless wives were precision-matched with mothers on education, religion, and participation in the labor force. There was a positive relationship between childlessness and enhanced marital adjustment and satisfaction. The small difference was related to…

Questionnaires were completed by 131 married couples to determine the role of dispositional jealousy on marital success. The total jealousy in the marriage was found to be negatively related to several indices of marital success. Further analyses indicated that marital outcomes were negatively associated with the husband's perception of the wife's…

This paper is concerned with the relationship of three areas: sex roles, values, and career decision making. The first section is a background statement, briefly reviewing relevant literature to document values in relation to career decision making. The second section examines definitions of values and how values are related to sex roles, both…