Recent changes in American fertility, marriage, and divorce.

Abstract

This article discusses recent trends in fertility, marriage, and divorce in the period since 1965 in the United States. It describes briefly the sharp changes in patterns of births, marriage, informal unions, divorce, and remarriage. Very recent developments of note include the increasingly important place of cohabitation in the life course, the continuing postponement of marriage, and the rise in birth rates to women in their thirties. Explanations are examined that emphasize both the increased economic opportunities for women and the cultural shift toward a greater emphasis on individualism and self-fulfillment. In the concluding section, it is argued that concerns about fertility and the family in the years ahead will focus less on the number of children than on whether their upbringing and education will be adequate to meet the needs of a society with a relatively small labor force and a large dependent population.