This paper presents a paradigm for research in the area of evolutionary sexual behavior in marriage. (Author)

An analysis of the extraverbal communication processes in newlywed couples is described. The aim of the research was to discover whether certain extraverbal communications are related to happiness in a marriage and, eventually, to its duration. Among specific significant findings with regard to behavior ratings were: (1) chair distance was…

It was found that the going-together couples held traditional orientations toward each other with commitment to marriage forming a strong part of this orientation. The effects on marriage rates for living-together couples were seen to depend upon which of the partner's positions prevailed. (Author)

Explores effects of husbands/ career pressures upon role structures within a section of middle-class families at the childrearing stage of the family life cycle. It examines the process through which instrumental relationships between women gave rise to a distinctive subculture which offered support to women in domestic affairs and child rearing.…

Explores the relationship between wife's employment, sex-role traditionalism, and reported division of household tasks and decisions. Findings suggest that despite differences among women in sex-role traditionalism and employment status, most women say that they and their spouses divide tasks in a traditional sex-role fashion. (Author)

Studies family interaction and explores the interface of husband-wife and parent-infant interactions. Results suggest that wives have a greater influence on fathering than do husbands on mothering. In some families spousal interaction precludes active involvement in parenting. In others active parental involvement provides for pleasurable spousal…

Methodological sophistication and conceptual complexity in the area of marital power has resulted in more questions than answers. The greatest danger of such a situation is a cessation of research motivated by fear of added mistakes, and supposedly justified by the lack of better measures and conceptualizations. Two particular stumbling blocks…

Examines relationship between social class and marital communication style. Style refers to ways in which messages are sent rather than content. Four interaction styles are employed: conventional, controlling, speculative, and contactful. All classes have the same general rank order regarding styles, suggesting class differences are matters of…

In Nigeria, various forms of polygamy and monogamy are practiced; however, monogamy is more or less practiced by many Christians and a greater percentage of younger men. A survey of marital success and failure was conducted with samples of Nigerian Diploma students and selected educated community members. Subjects completed two instruments, the…

Should a stimulus be defined as the single event immediately preceding a response (simple stimulus) or as a constellation of antecedents representing several preceding events (complex stimulus)? Sixty-eight families with a child between four and eight years of age were observed, and family interactions coded in the naturalistic setting of the…

In order to identify behavioral cues which contribute to judgments of marital satisfaction/distress, 40 undergraduate judges rated the level of marital satisfaction of 24 couples shown on videotape and then listed the behavioral cues used in making their judgments. The stimulus tapes were problem-solving interactions of both distressed and…

The lifetime family, the family of ego, is distinguished from the lineage family which is the family lasting through time over generations. Use of the term lifetime family career and lineage family cycle is suggested. The family career is used to describe the participation of a person in the family. (Author)

Similarities between parents and children have been of interest throughout history, but little work has been done in the area of communication similarities. To study the intergenerational continuity of communication style, the first of two studies examined the correlations between certain readily-identifiable aspects of parental communication…

Members of nuclear families look to one another for support in times of stress. Relationships between spouses and between parents and children contain the conditions required for effective counselling and helping. This paper presents the results of two tests of the hypothesis that such helping relationships in families act as moderators between…

In this speech delivered to the annual meeting of the National Council on Family Relations, the author reviews five papers presented for discussion, and integrates them into treatment of the family, gender role and sexuality. She further indicates theoretical flaws and weaknesses, as well as problems in the fieldwork on data accumulation. (MML)