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You mentioned that cultural factors play a role when considering the impact of divorce on children. For instance, in some societies, divorce may be stigmatized or viewed as a failure, which increases stress and humiliation for both spouses and children. In other societies, divorce may be less stigmatized and more common, with fewer bad effects. We have also learned about multiple factors that may influence decisions toward marriage. These factors may include societal-level factors (socioeconomic status, educational level, race/ethnicity, and religiosity) (Hewitt et al., 2005). What are your thoughts on culture and marriage, how are decisions towards marriage influenced by culture? +600 words
Culture has a powerful influence on decisions towards marriage. Cultural factors such as socioeconomic status, educational level, race/ethnicity, and religiosity shape our understanding of what defines a successful marriage, the expectations that come with it, the dynamics between partners in a marriage, and how couples deal with issues when they arise.
Socioeconomic status, for example can impact decisions towards marriage because individuals from higher-income households tend to have greater access to resources and are more likely to be able to support themselves financially before entering into a committed relationship such as marriage. This means that people from lower income households may enter into marriages for economic reasons or even out of necessity rather than genuine love or commitment. Furthermore, those who lack stable employment may find themselves feeling pressured to get married due to pressure from family members or societal norms which place an emphasis on marrying young.
Educational attainment also shapes decisions towards marriage because education often equates to greater job opportunities and financial stability which can give individuals more freedom of choice in terms of partnership formation. Those who are educated are generally more aware of their legal rights within a marital union as well as their responsibilities; this knowledge is key in making sound marital choices free from external pressures or limited options based on financial need or lack thereof (Hewitt et al., 2005).
Race/ethnicity plays an important role in marital decision-making due to cultural perceptions around specific ethnicities or races being seen as “marriageable” according to society at large. For instance, some communities may perceive certain races favorably over others when it comes time for partnership selection even if there is no logical basis for doing so (Kerckhoff & Smith 2002). The same goes for religious affiliations; those who belong to major religions like Christianity may experience more social pressure than nonreligious individuals when considering potential mates (Kerckhoff & Smith 2002). In addition, different faiths bring different expectations around issues related with premarital sex and infidelity which could affect how two prospective partners interact within the context of courtship prior making any commitments about future plans together (Fisher 2010).
Finally, culture affects marital decision-making by influencing gender roles both before and during the course of relationships leading up toward eventual partnerships. In many cultures traditional gender roles dictate prescriptive behavior surrounding romantic liaisons where men take the initiative while women wait passively seeking validation through male attention (Fisher 2010); therefore women can be made vulnerable by patriarchal systems which limit their agency within intimate relationships thus making them dependent upon males for protection and provisioning prior entering into matrimony arrangements many times lacking true autonomy regarding life changes brought about after legally binding unions take place (Gervais 2008).
Overall culture influences decisions toward marriage by providing guidelines around acceptable behaviors in courtship rituals while shaping understandings regarding what constitutes appropriate partners depending upon certain socio demographic factors described previously herein. It is critical that we continue researching this topic further always bearing in mind that not all societies share similar values concerning partner selection especially considering worldwide immigration trends presenting ever changing dynamics across multiple nations globally speaking nowadays (Yuval-Davis 2011)