Friday, November 19, 2010

The Decline of Marriage and Rise of New Families (Pew Research Center)

The survey also finds striking differences by generation. In 1960, two-thirds (68%) of all twenty-somethings were married. In 2008, just 26% were.

How many of today's youth will eventually marry is an open question. For now, the survey finds that the young are much more inclined than their elders to view cohabitation without marriage and other new family forms -- such as same-sex marriage and interracial marriage -- in a positive light.

Even as marriage shrinks, family -- in all its emerging varieties -- remains resilient. The survey finds that Americans have an expansive definition of what constitutes a family. And the vast majority of adults consider their own family to be the most important, most satisfying element of their lives.
I doubt this news comes as a shock to any of us, but it's always nice to have some data to back up what seems to be happening in the world. Overall, just something I found interesting and thought I'd share.

Read the full article here.

No comments: