Deck 8: Marriage and Cohabitation

Question 1

The marriage squeeze:

A) raised the marriage rate for women.
B) contributed to earlier marriage for Baby Boomers.
C) is an example of demography affecting marriage choices.
D) is usually due to a shortage of marriageable women.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Marriage rates among black women have declined due to all of the following EXCEPT:

A) the war on drugs.
B) economic forces.
C) increased job opportunities for black women.
D) the marriage squeeze.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT one of the primary forms of endogamy practiced in the United States?

A) race
B) desire for children
C) religion
D) education

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The decline in marriage rates is due to:

A) increased rates of cohabitation.
B) people marrying later.
C) moral decline.
D) economic recession.

Question 5

The text indicates three primary reasons people still choose to marry.Which of the following is NOT one of these reasons?

A) social and legal incentives
B) social pressure
C) imitation
D) religious beliefs

Question 6

The social space in which people search for potential marriage partners is called:

A) society.
B) partner marketplace.
C) marriage market.
D) college.

Question 7

At this time in the United States,what fraction of people who marry have cohabited first?

A) 2/3
B) 1/2
C) 1/4
D) 1/6

Question 8

Sociologists have objected to the market model of marriage for all of the following reasons EXCEPT:

A) potential mates may have conflicting desires.
B) this model trivializes human intimacy.
C) marriage choices are not always rational.
D) spouse decisions do not always reflect a choice from many alternatives.

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT a way that social scientists have tried to understand the decline in marriage rates?

A) by observing the changed behaviors of married and single people
B) by comparing those who marry to those who don't
C) by comparing different societies at different times
D) by interviewing experts such as counselors

Question 10

Which conclusion can NOT be drawn from current marriage trends?

A) The vast majority of people marry.
B) People spend fewer years of their lives married now than in the past.
C) Americans are more likely to value careers over family.
D) People are married less continuously throughout their lives than in the past.

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT a reason given in the text for the decline in marriage rates?

A) racism
B) economic insecurity
C) individualism
D) increased expectations of marriage

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT a source of social change in family life discussed in Chapter 8?

A) The growth of individualism has weakened the ties of marriage.
B) Marriages that do survive are stronger than ever.
C) The law has begun to recognize people more as individuals than as members of a family entity.
D) Family life has become less central to many people's identities.

Question 13

Which are the two assumptions necessary for viewing marriage as a market?

A) voluntary participation and competition
B) available partners and competition
C) available partners and valuing partners
D) competition and valuing partners

Question 14

Which of the following is true about current trends in marriage?

A) Marriage rates are higher for those with college degrees.
B) Marriage rates are on the rise for those without college degrees.
C) It is becoming more common for people with dissimilar education levels to marry.
D) Married couples are more likely to be poor than single adults.

Question 15

The norms for marriage have become weaker,leaving it to be considered more optional.Andrew Cherlin calls this:

A) marriage diversity.
B) the deinstitutionalization of marriage.
C) the cohabitation trend.
D) the decline of marriage ethics.

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT a symbolic interactionist interpretation of wedding planning and wedding ceremonies?

A) Weddings help individuals adjust to a new identity.
B) The "wedding industrial complex" is an exploitative aspect of the engagement experience.
C) Weddings socialize people into their roles.
D) Engagement rings can be an expression of love, equality, or wealth.

Question 17

Adjusted for inflation,the cost of throwing a wedding now,compared with the cost in 1945,is:

A) about the same.
B) nearly double.
C) about 25 percent less.
D) ten times as expensive.

Question 18

Marriage rates have:

A) fallen slightly since the 1960s.
B) gradually risen since the beginning of American history.
C) dramatically decreased since the 1960s.
D) gradually decreased since the 1960s.

Question 19

An increasing number of people are not getting married at all,however,

A) those who do not marry don't practice cohabitation.
B) the children of these people are at a disadvantage.
C) a great majority of people do get married.
D) African Americans have experienced the least decline in marriage rates.

Question 20

Which of the following can NOT be concluded from the data given in your textbook?

A) Marriage rates have fallen by more than half since 1970.
B) The percentage of women married in 2010 was about half of that from 1980.
C) Marriage rates are likely to continue declining.
D) Americans no longer take marriage as seriously as they did in the past.

Question 21

Which of the following was NOT a criticism of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)discussed in the text?

A) The government should pursue broader policies promoting employment, not promoting marriage.
B) The program required too many tax dollars and unfairly redistributed wealth.
C) The program could encourage women to stay in abusive marriages.
D) The underlying assumption of the program (that single parenting causes poverty) is flawed.

Question 22

Declining marriage rates have led many to conclude that Americans no longer place a high value on marriage.Use the data and arguments presented in the text to advocate for and against this conclusion.

Question 23

Which of the following is NOT true about racial intermarriage in the United States?

A) Outmarriage of white men and African American women is common because there are so many available African American women.
B) Racial intermarriage can pose a threat to the stability of some ethnic groups.
C) Intermarriage rates correspond to the size of the group.
D) Members of smaller groups are more likely to outmarry.

Question 24

Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)had two major goals.They were:

A) to provide food and health care assistance to poor families.
B) to provide education and cash assistance to poor families.
C) to provide assistance to poor families and promote two-parent families.
D) to provide assistance to single parents and their children.

Question 25

According to researcher Tera Hurt,which of the following statements is true about the four categories of reasons for marital happiness?

A) All of these categories involve morality.
B) None of them imply mutuality.
C) They are mostly individualistic.
D) They are only true for African American men.

Question 26

This policy passed by Congress in 1996 forbade the government from recognizing the marriages of same-sex couples.

A) "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
B) "Heterosexual Recruitment"
C) DOMA
D) Tolerance Policy

Question 27

Even though U.S.society rigorously values individualism,Americans nevertheless still predominantly view marriage as:

A) a sexist endeavor.
B) a lifelong commitment.
C) just one stage of life.
D) less important.

Question 28

According to research,which of the following is NOT true about marital satisfaction?

A) It tends to decline over the life of a marriage.
B) Marriage is more beneficial for women than it is for men.
C) Men and women tend to describe their marriages differently.
D) Whites describe their marriages as happier than other groups.

Question 29

Many previously divorced couples over 50 choose cohabitation:

A) to prepare for marriage.
B) as a substitute for marriage.
C) to maximize financial benefits.
D) to placate their grown children.

Question 30

Analyze two current trends in marriage and cohabitation,in the context of modern cultural values such as egalitarianism,ambition,or individualism.

Question 31

Religious leaders,counselors,media,and social workers are some examples of this category of reasons people marry:

A) incentives
B) imitation
C) social pressure
D) belief systems

Question 32

Among the poor and working class,the desire to wait for financial stability motivates them toward:

A) cohabitation before marriage.
B) cohabitation instead of marriage.
C) cohabitation after marriage.
D) multiple jobs.

Question 33

The author of the text asserts that the benefits of marriage stem from all of the following sources EXCEPT:

A) responsibility.
B) cooperation.
C) social status.
D) communication.

Question 34

The 1993 policy implemented by Bill Clinton to address the issue of gay military recruits was known as:

A) "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
B) "Heterosexual Recruitment"
C) DOMA
D) Tolerance Policy

Question 35

The marriage practice of early humans and ancient civilizations that facilitated trade,reduced health problems,and prevented conflict was called:

A) exogamy.
B) endogamy.
C) polygamy.
D) monogamy.

Question 36

In researching marriage among black men,Tera Hurt found that happily married men usually valued which of the following?

A) lifelong commitment, success, education, and security
B) success, education, emotional support, and security
C) lifelong commitment, success, emotional support, and security
D) religious commitment, lifelong commitment, success, and security

Question 37

The trend in public opinion indicates that:

A) a majority of Americans have no opinion on gay marriage.
B) attitudes against gay marriage will grow in coming years.
C) the U.S. public will remain divided on this issue for many years.
D) a growing majority will continue to support same-sex marriage rights.

Question 38

Social status is one of the rewards of marriage.Consequently,some single people-particularly women-suffer from:

A) stigma.
B) discrimination.
C) depression.
D) isolation.

Question 39

Religious endogamy has increased,in part,due to:

A) changes in behavior of fundamentalist groups.
B) ethnic assimilation of some groups, such as Jews.
C) an increase in the traditional authority of the church.
D) a decline of individualism.

Question 40

Which is true about social class and marital happiness?

A) Richer couples tend to be happier, whether married or cohabiting.
B) Social class has no effect on marital happiness.
C) Middle-class couples tend to be the happiest group.
D) Poor marriages tend to be happiest.

Question 41

Discuss the varied causes and ramifications of cohabitation among couples who choose it as a before-marriage,instead-of-marriage,or after-divorce living arrangement.

Question 42

Marriage remains a strongly valued social institution.Discuss two motivations for individuals to marry.

Question 43

Outline the benefits of marriage to individuals,as indicated by research,addressing issues of life course,gender,health,and gay relationships.

Question 44

Outline the marriage market model and evaluate its effectiveness in understanding mate selection.

Question 45

Using symbolic interactionism,analyze the process of preparing for and participating in a wedding.

Question 46

Outline the trends in two forms of endogamy or exogamy practiced by modern Americans.

Question 47

Analyze the paradox of modern marriage as discussed in the text,with respect to commitment and individualism.

Question 48

Evaluate the reasoning and effectiveness of government efforts to encourage marriage among the poor.