The Marriage Quiz: College Students' Beliefs in Selected Myths about Marriage

Abstract

The 20-item Marriage Quiz was developed to measure students'beliefs in myths about marriage and family relations. A sample of 279 college students completed the Marriage Quiz. Female students missed significantly fewer items than male students. Students with a less romantic perception of marriage missed significantly fewer items than more romantic students. Students who completed a marriage and family course missed significantly fewer items than students who did not complete the course. The uses of the Marriage Quiz in family life education are outlined. O ne explanation for the current high divorce rate and the prevalence of marital dissatisfaction is that Americans have high and unrealistic expectations of marriage-expecting a spouse to simultaneously be a friend, a confidant, a fulfilling sex partner, a counselor, and a parent. Epstein and Eidelson (1981) found that unhappy couples possess unrealistic expectations about marriage which harm their chances for developing marital satisfaction. Underlying these unrealistic marital expectations are often beliefs in a variety of myths about marriage (Crosby, 1985a). A myth is defined as a widely held belief that is not supported by the facts.

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