Soc 120: Marriage and the Family Lecture 19 Divorce—Causes

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts discussed in the lecture on divorce, including historical periods, causes, and explanatory factors.

Divorce Tolerance

The period from the mid 19th century to the 1960s where divorce was more accepted and fault criteria expanded.

Unrestricted Divorce

A model of marriage that emerged post-1970 allowing for no-fault divorce, leading to a sharp increase in divorce rates.

No-fault divorce

A type of divorce that allows a couple to separate without proving wrongdoing by either party, first legalized in California in 1970.

Serial Monogamy

A pattern of having multiple successive monogamous relationships, rather than one long-term partnership.

Demographic trends

Patterns of change in the characteristics of a population, such as divorce rates and educational attainment.

Widowhood effect

The phenomenon where individuals who have lost their spouse face increased risks of mortality.

Macro Explanations

Explanations of divorce that focus on societal level factors, such as legislation and cultural norms.

Micro Explanations

Explanations of divorce that focus on individual level factors, such as personal history and decisions.

Cohabitation

Living together in a romantic relationship without being married, often linked to higher rates of future divorce.

Intergenerational transmission of divorce

The concept that children of divorced parents are more likely to experience divorce themselves.