In this article, educational homogamy among married and cohabiting couples in selected European countries is examined. Using data from two waves (2002 and 2004) of the European Social Survey, this article compares three cultural and institutional contexts that differ in terms of institutionalization of cohabitation. Evidence from log-linear models…

Analyzed relational control behaviors and interaction patterns of 51 couples representing marital life span. Identified three distinct phases of development: short-term couples relied heavily on "equivalence" acts; intermediate couples were more likely to "structure the conversation" but avoided competing for control; and long-term couples relied…

Notes that interpersonal conflict among family members and between spouses can cause dissatisfaction and threaten feasibility of marriage. Defines Family Defense Mechanisms (FDMs) as fixed patterns of behaviors that, when followed by spouses and other family members, enable them to better manage their interpersonal differences and conflict.…

This study was conducted to examine the moderating effects of attributions on the relationship between marital satisfaction and marital violence. It was predicted that distressed spouses who made more maladaptive attributions for partner behavior would be more likely to engage in marital violence than would distressed spouses who offered fewer…

The opinion among Swedes is that there is a higher commitment and a higher responsibility among those having been married for a long time than among those having been married for a short time. These data point toward existence of a renewed or perhaps a new courtship and marriage pattern. (Author)

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

Sexual behavior between husband and wife should be regarded as a form of communication. When the message, verbal or nonverbal, implied by the sender is otherwise interpreted by the receiver, a breakdown in communication may result. (CJ)

The objective of two studies was to devise an assessment procedure for the evaluation of therapy with distressed marriages. An extension of behavior exchange theory was proposed to include phenomenological ratings by the couple of the intent of messages sent and the impact of messages received. Convergent criteria were used to select 14…

It was hypothesized that unhappily married couples would show a deficit in problem solving by indicating significantly more unresolved problems and would indicate less involvement with one another in both elective free-time activities and shared sexuality. All hypotheses were confirmed. (Author)

This paper examines the relationship of some social factors with extramarital sexual permissiveness. Findings indicate that the best variable to explain extramarital sexual permissiveness is premarital sexual permissiveness. (Author)

Examined the relationship of instrumental and affectional behavioral events to short- and long-term marital satisfaction. Results showed a significant negative relationship between frequency of displeasurable instrumental events and ratings of marital satisfaction. The most important finding was the degree to which wives' self-esteem correlated…

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…

Data on marital careers of 176 lower-class individuals from Trinidad are analyzed in terms of the frequency and sequencing of three types of marital unions--friending, living, and marriage. Sequencing of marital unions shows movement toward more stable relationships within partnerships and throughout the individual's marital career. (Author)

This paper reports the satisfaction between several independent variables and marital satisfaction. Adequacy of role performance of both self and spouse and spouse's conformity to expectations emerged as the strongest predictors of satisfaction derived from playing family roles. (Author)

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)