Age Homogamy and Marital Happiness Over the Life Course: What is There To Explain?

• In Event: 381 - Section on the Sociology of the Family Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 02. Couple Relationships

Abstract

“Older-husband” or “age-homogamy” couples are considered the norm for many modern societies. This article proposes new tests for age homogamy, a rarely reviewed homogamy factor, together with other marital homogamy measurements for their effects on marital quality, especially perceived marital happiness over the life course. The data comes from a six-wave longitudinal study. Results from longitudinal models provide evidence to challenge the current norms of marital age matching: “Wife-older” couples enjoy higher perceived marital happiness for both husbands and wives. Results also indicate that other types of homogamy cannot be assumed to be positive in all marital quality measurements. Finally, gender equality does not significantly improve marital happiness over the life course, but gender differences are prevalent in both perceived marital happiness and gender-role traditionalism. These findings strengthen the understanding of the process of marital age matching and the causal interpretation of homogamy effects in the life course perspective.

Author

• Zhihang Dong, University of Washington