Sex and Stage Differences in Perceptions of Marital and Family Relationships

Abstract

This study analyzes the perceptions offamv of orientation andfamily ofprocreation of a white middleand lower-middle-class sample at four transitional stages: senior year in high school, one year or less of marriage, having one's youngest child a senior in high school, and being within three years of one's own (or one's husband's) retirement. Thefindings suggest that perceptions of one's parents, spouse and children are strongly influenced by transitional stage and sex. Contrary to expectation, patterns of relationships in family of orientation were not associated, in general, with those of family of procreation.