The Family as a Three-Person Group

Abstract

(for those rating their parents' marriage average to unhappy).7 The mean score then rises to 5.24 for the women with divorced parents and this does not differ significantly from the mean scores of those who rate their parents' marriage ''very happy or happy. The relatively high mean score of women whose parents are divorced reflects the fact that a considerable proportion of the women in this group have scores near the upper limit of the scale. Thirty-four per cent score 7, 8, or 9. This contrasts sharply with the 2.7 per cent of the men having divorced parents who secure such high scores. The finding of a sex difference in the pattern of association between parental happiness and favorableness of attitude to marriage must be regarded as tentative, because of the rather small number of men and women with divorced parents in the present study. Assuming, however, that the finding is sustained by subsequent research what explanation can be advanced for it? The problem essentially is why, unlike the men subjects, a substantial proportion of the women with divorced parents confidently anticipate marriage as a source of happiness and satisfaction. One solution to the problem can be derived from the assumption that women to a greater extent than men look upon marriage as the essential framework of their adult life. Insofar as this is true it might be argued that, when led to take a dim view of marriage because of the decisive failure of their parents' matrimonial venture, men have greater tolerance than women for their pessimistic outlook. Generally speaking, the pessimism of the men relates to what they consider only a part of their future life; that of the women relates to what they consider their entire existence. The latter consequently are more highly motivated to reject the conception of marriage given to them by the experience of their parents. Some may even be convinced that having learned much from the marital failure of their parents they can look forward with all the greater certainty to marital happiness for themselves. 7 CR of the difference between the means (a) for the categories average to unhappy and 4.31; (b) for the categories average to unhappy and very happy, 7.17; (c) for the categories average to unhappy and divorced, 2.64; (d) for the categories very happy and 1.79.

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