Bernard I. Murstein
Published: 1986-04
Total Pages: 176
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A concise research-oriented textbook which traces individuals from the time they meet to the point when they decide to marry. It starts with a brief history of theories of marital chocie noting how these have changed since the 19th century. Next the social-cultural determinants of marital choice are considered, including age, birth-order, education, ethnicity, physical attractiveness, socioeconomic class, sex drive, propinquity, race, and religion. Dating and courtship are considered, first from a historical framework, then from a developmental one, and finally from a tactical one; what tactics are most successful in wooing? flattery, playing hard to get, etc. Going steady, engagement, cohabitation and breakup are covered as well as a comprehensive review of love. Also, extra dyadic factors pushing the individuals toward marriage are analyzed, including readiness to marry, parental and friend network influences, job, and critical incidents. Following are the theories of marital choice focusing on the interactions between the members of couples. These include Freud's psychoanalytic theory, Winch's complementary needs theory, Center's instrumental theory, Kerckhoff and Davis' filter theory, and Murstein's stimulus-value role theory, whcih combines exchanges and filter approaches. The strength and weakness of each theory are carefully spelled out. Finally, the data on marital choice are summarized, and future trends are predicted.