Реферат: Changes In Women And Marriage Essay Research

administration, professions previously dominated by males. By 1985

women were earning half of all bachelor and master degrees and over a

third of the doctorates, compared to the 42% of all bachelor degrees,

32% of master degrees and 10% of all doctorates in the 1960?s

(O?Neill, 1989). The result is that both education and experience

levels of the female labor force have begun to increase at a faster

rate than they have for the male labor force (McLaughlin). Koontz

found that highly educated women in professional careers are less

likely than women in general to be involved in marriage and parenting.

In recent decades, the percentage of young women obtaining advanced

degrees and pursuing a professional career has increased dramatically.

Between 1971 and 1980 the percentage of women aged 30-39 who completed

four or more years of college rose from 10.3 to 18.8 percent (Koontz).

A positive relationship between educational attainment and the timing

of marriage for women exists.

A woman?s completed fertility level is also highly correlated

with her educational attainment in part because of the effect of

delayed childbearing on fertility. Educational attainment is

negatively associated with the likelihood that women will ever marry

and/or bear children. Educational attainment is also related to the

likelihood of divorce, for women but not for men. Women who have

completed six or more years of college have significantly higher rates

of divorce than woman at all other education levels, except high

school drop-outs. High levels of education by women is highly

predictive of delayed and reduced involvement in marital and parental

roles (Allen & Kalish).

Acknowledging the prevalence of divorce may influence a

woman?s future decision to marry. Plenty of young women have seen

unhappy marriages as they grew up – giving them an understandable fear