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Temporal Differences in Remarriage Timing: Comparing Divorce and Widowhood
Spencer L James1, Kevin Shafer
1Department of Sociology and Crime, Law and Justice, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA.
Journal of Divorce & Remarriage
|November 14, 2012
Summary
Divorced individuals remarry faster than those widowed. Demographic factors like gender and number of children influence remarriage timing, impacting post-spousal union formation.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Demography
- Family Studies
Background:
- Limited research exists on remarriage timing across different groups.
- Understanding remarriage patterns is crucial for family sociology and demographic analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the tempo of remarriage for individuals whose first marriages ended in divorce versus spousal death.
- To identify demographic and life course factors moderating remarriage timing.
Main Methods:
- Event-history models were employed to analyze remarriage patterns.
- The study compared individuals based on the termination of their first marriage (divorce or death).
Main Results:
- Individuals divorced after their first marriage remarry at a quicker pace compared to widowed individuals.
- Remarriage tempo is significantly moderated by gender and parity (number of children).
Conclusions:
- Divorce leads to faster remarriage than widowhood.
- Gender and parity play crucial roles in influencing the likelihood and timing of forming new marital unions after a first marriage ends.
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