Divorce and Marriage Trends

Which of the following is a structural explanation for the decline in marriage rates in many Western societies?

• Increased secularisation

• Growth of individualism

• Changes in divorce laws

• Feminist critiques of the nuclear family

Which legal change in the UK is often cited as a major cause of the increase in divorce rates since the 1970s?

• The Equal Pay Act (1970)

• The Matrimonial Causes Act (1857)

• The Divorce Reform Act (1969)

• The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act (2013)

Which of the following is not considered a common consequence of increasing divorce rates?

• Growth in single-parent families

• Rise in reconstituted families

• Increased child custody disputes

• Decline in cohabitation

Which of the following best explains the rise in same-sex marriage rates in many societies?

• The impact of secularisation alone

• Legal changes combined with shifting social attitudes

• Increasing rates of divorce among heterosexual couples

• Economic necessity due to rising housing costs

According to feminist perspectives, which of the following has most contributed to the changing patterns of marriage and divorce?

• Increasing educational opportunities for women

• Decline in religious authority

• Increased immigration

• Rise in arranged marriages

What is the term for couples who live together but are not legally married?

• LAT couples

• Civil partners

• Cohabitants

• Blended families

Which of the following is a demographic factor contributing to increased divorce rates?

• Secularisation

• Changing divorce legislation

• Feminist influence on policy

• Longer life expectancy

Which term refers to the pattern of individuals having a series of monogamous relationships one after another?

• LAT relationships

• Serial monogamy

• Trial marriage

• Blended unions

Which of the following is an example of a consequence of rising cohabitation rates?

• A decline in the number of reconstituted families

• Increase in religious wedding ceremonies

• Increase in births outside of marriage

• Decline in divorce rates

Which of the following is a likely consequence of an aging population for family structures?

• Decrease in intergenerational support

• Increase in nuclear families

• Decline in multigenerational households

• Increase in “beanpole” families