Abstract

ZORDAN, Eliana Piccoli; FALCKE, Denise  and  WAGNER, Adriana. To marry or not to marry?: Motives and expectations in relation to marriage. Psicol. rev. (Belo Horizonte) [online]. 2009, vol.15, n.2, pp. 56-76. ISSN 1677-1168.

Marriage has been the target of intense questioning due to transformations in its characteristics. From the traditional model to the various forms of present-day marriage, one can observe changes in conjugal roles as well as in expectations related to it. This study aimed to identify the motives and expectations of young adults facing marriage. For such, 197 participants between 20 and 31 years of age, living in Rio Grande do Sul, completed a questionnaire. The instrument contained three parts: 1) socio-demographic data; 2) questions regarding vital projects and motives for marriage, elaborated for this study; 3) one question concerning expectations, translated and adapted from a study by Barich and Bielby (1996). Results revealed that the variables defining the choice for marriage in that group involved aspects of greater subjectivity (love, companionship and affinities). They also pointed out the co-existence of permanent aspects, related to the traditional model, and changes, characteristic of a new marriage model.

Keywords : marriage; motives; expectations.

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