Marriage Choices in North Carolina and Virginia, 1969-71 and 1979-81

Abstract

This study investigates age race and educational patterns of marriage choice in North Carolina and Virginia during 1969-71 and 1979-81 and provides substantial support for exchange theories of marriage behavior. While like marrying like is most common a female emphasis on male economic characteristics and a male emphasis on female noneconomic characteristics lead to significant patterns of exchange....The major change between 1969-71 and 1979-81 is a decline in the level of marriage but the increasing economic role of women is associated with a reduction in the extent to which women marry men with more education. The marriage exchange thus reflects less inequality between the sexes as it becomes less common. (EXCERPT)