Chapter 4 Singlehood, Hanging Out, Hooking Up, and Cohabitation

Chapter Sections 4-1 Singlehood 4-2 Categories of Singles 4-3 Ways of Finding a Partner 4-4 Intentional Communities

Singlehood Although most Americans will eventually marry, there is a trend toward delaying when one gets married.

Singlehood Reasons for remaining single include: Fear of marriage Fear of divorce Scarcity of men Discussion: Why are people afraid of marriage? Why are people afraid of divorce?

Reasons to Remain Single Benefits of Singlehood Limitations of Marriage Freedom to do as one wishes Restricted by spouse or children Variety of lovers One sexual partner Spontaneous lifestyle Routine, predictable lifestyle Close friends of both sexes Pressure to avoid close other-sex friendships Responsible for one person only Responsible for spouse and children Spend money as one wishes Expenditures influenced by needs of spouse and children Freedom to move as career dictates Restrictions on career mobility Avoid being controlled by spouse Potential to be controlled by spouse Avoid emotional and financial stress of divorce Possibility of divorce

Singlehood The acceptance of singlehood as a lifestyle can be attributed to social movements: Sexual revolution Women’s movement Gay liberation movement Can you think of ways in which Single people are segregated or discriminated in our society? Discussion: Do you agree that marriage is becoming optional?

Categories of Singles Singlehood: the state of being unmarried Includes never-married, divorced, widowed

U.S. Adult Population by Relationship Status

Categories of Singlehood Being married is still the norm. Single women report higher life satisfaction and positive affect than single men. Relationships, career, financial security contribute to a sense of well-being for singles. Discussion: In what ways does society put pressure on us to marry?

Categories of Singles Divorced Singles There are 13.7 million divorced females and 9.9 million divorced males in the United States. Married individuals tend to live longer than divorced individuals. Increased suicide risk Protective aspect of marriage Discussion: What are the protective aspects of marriage?

Categories of Singles Widowed Singles There are 11.4 million widowed females and 2.9 million widowed males in the United States. The main problem is loneliness. The widowed report greater support from children and other relatives than do spouses.

Ways of Finding a Partner Many single people have partners. Singles find their partners in a variety of ways.

Dating Rules In groups, determine today’s “dating rules.” What is an acceptable first date? What is expected/accepted on the first date? How long should a couple wait to become physical? How many partners are too many? What are other areas that you may find interesting?

Finding a Partner Hanging out: (getting together) going out in groups where the agenda is to meet others and have fun Hooking up: sexual encounter that occurs between individuals who have no relationship commitment Men seem to benefit more than women. Discussion: Why is hooking up becoming more common?

Finding a Partner Meeting online: using the Internet to find a partner It is becoming more common and less stigmatized. Men tend to emphasize status and women tend to emphasize youth and beauty. Video chatting: using webcam programs to connect with people throughout the world Discussion: What are the advantages and disadvantages of online dating?

Finding a Partner Speed-dating: brief encounters set up by an organization such as Eight-Minute Dating. High-end Matchmaking: wealthy, busy clients pay for service that researches and interviews potential dates International Dating: service provides potential contacts in a different country

Intentional Communities Intentional community (commune): a group of people living together on the basis of shared values and world view Shared values include religious values, egalitarianism, and “homegrown” culture. Discussion: What might be the benefits of an intentional community for singles? What might be the disadvantages of intentional communities for singles?