Gender Dynamics in Marriage Timing: Rural-Urban Contrasts

1. Gender and the Timing of Marriage: Rural-Urban Differences in Javaand The Marriage Quiz: College Students’ Beliefs in Selected Myths About Marriage Sheena Harder Katie Peterson Mathew Thyne Lindsay Petterson

2. Gender and the Timing of Marriage:Indonesian Context • Though inequality still remains, Java offers women opportunities for independence and power. • Economic participation, property rights, and power in the household and relationships are societal norms for women. • Thought to be clever, good money managers and equal economic partners in marriage • Patriarchal constraints still exist: • Males still make many of the decisions • Lower wages for women • Marriages are arranged shortly after puberty to ensure purity though divorce is a viable option.

3. Gender and the Timing of Marriage:Points of Study • Gender • Men marry later than women. • Family Background • Agrarian • Socioeconomic class • Education • Time spent in school • Content of schooling • Increased employability with additional skills and training

4. Rural agrarian culture: Mean ages of marriage: Men- 22.3 years Women- 16.3 years Highest marriage type %: Men- 36.4%-self choice with parental approval Women-51.8%- arranged entirely by parents Urban culture: Mean ages of marriage: Men- 24.3 years Women- 18.5 years Highest marriage type %: Men- 68.5% Women- 45.8% Prominent marriage type for both genders was self-choice with parental approval Gender and the Timing of Marriage:Rural vs. Urban Results

5. Gender and the Timing of Marriage:Conclusions • Examination of both female and male marriage patterns is essential to a more comprehensive understanding of marriage and family process in Asian settings. • Modern urban settings do not necessarily reduce gender differences in marriage behavior and its determinants and, in fact, may be responsible for more differences in gender roles. • Men tend to marry later and with less parental involvement • School attendance is a delaying factor for both sexes • Results represent the contrasts in rural and urban marriage settings in Central Java prior to 1980

6. The Marriage Quiz:Purpose and Hypothesis • Unrealistic expectations and beliefs in common marriage myths may contribute to the current high divorce rate • Assessing college students’ beliefs in marriage myths can help guide the content of family life education • Groups less likely to believe in marital myths: • Female students • Students with less romantic views about marriage • Students who have completed a course in marriage/family issues

7. The Marriage Quiz:Results • All three hypotheses were validated • As a whole, the group missed nearly half (47%) of the items on the quiz

8. The Marriage Quiz:Myths most commonly mistaken as facts • Having a child improves satisfaction (item 3) • Satisfaction increases through life stages (item 10) • Cohabitation before marriage improves marital satisfaction (item 14) • The more a spouse discloses the greater satisfaction (item 18) • Romantic love is the key to marital happiness (item 20)

9. Discussion Questions • Do you think there are many differences between rural and urban marriage culture and customs in America? • Why do you think status is so important for marriage in Indonesia? • Why do you think employment delays marriage for women, but increases marriage for men? • Which, if any, items were surprising to be myths? • According to the article, women missed fewer items than men because of socialization that encourages women to prepare more for marriage than males. Do you agree?