The "real" marriage squeeze: mate selection, mortality, and the mating gradient

Area of Science:

• Demography
• Sociology
• Family Studies

Background:

• The concept of marriage squeeze describes demographic imbalances in the ratio of unmarried men to unmarried women.
• Such imbalances can significantly impact marriage patterns and family formation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the marriage squeeze in Canada using 1981 data.
• To quantify the availability of potential partners for men and women across different age groups.

Main Methods:

• Utilized vital statistics and census data from Canada for the year 1981.
• Calculated 'availability indices' based on age differentials between brides and grooms to estimate partner availability.

Main Results:

• For men, partner availability increases with age, reaching a one-to-one ratio in their 50s.
• For women, partner availability is highest in their 20s, declining to 50 potential grooms per 100 unmarried women by their 50s.

Conclusions:

• The study reveals significant age-related imbalances in partner availability, particularly affecting women in older age groups.
• These findings have implications for understanding changes in marriage trends and family structures in Canada.