You are not signed in. Sign In

PSI CHI: The International Honor Society in Psychology

The International Honor Society in Psychology

View all articles in this issue

Impact of Different Social Models on Young Adults' Views of Marriage and Divorce

Download this article for $1.00 (FREE for Members)

by Angela D. Nickell and Marcela Raffaelli - University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Category: Social


In this study we examined the potential influence of multiple relationship models on young adults' attitudes regarding marriage and divorce. College students (n = 110; 62% women, mean age = 19.1) completed measures of marriage and divorce attitudes and described conflict and happiness of 3 couples (parents, positive marriage model, and negative marriage model). Parent and positive model characteristics were significantly correlated with marriage attitudes such that respondents describing parental and positive models that were low on conflict and high on happiness reported more positive marriage attitudes. In multiple regression analyses, only positive model happiness predicted marriage attitudes; no variables predicted divorce attitudes. Findings suggest the potential role of nonparental models in shaping young adults' attitudes toward marriage and divorce.

©2013  Psi Chi - The International Honor Society in Psychology, All Rights Reserved