The Impact of Attitudes on Marriage Behavior

Abstract

e examine the effect of career orientation and attitudes toward marriage on marriage timing. Our focus is whether men and women with strong career orientations and work experience are less likely to marry, net of attitudes towards marriage. Data are from waves I and II of the National Survey of Families and Households; our population consists of never married young adults ages 19 to 34 at the initial survey. The findings indicate that attitudes do influence marriage outcomes; those who believe that it is better to get married or who anticipate economic and emotional improvements from marriage are more likely to wed. Career orientation and professional development delays marriage for women as well as men. We find that blacks' lower rates of marriage cannot be attributed to differences in attitudes towards marriage. Our results suggest that the important prerequisites for marriage to both men and women are converging, although the man's economic factors remain more important.