Summary:
Chapter 10 talks about marriage and communication in intimate relationships. The chapter discusses many traditions and rituals of marriage, such as the engagement, the wedding, and the various roles associated with the bride and groom. There are several types of marriage listed, such as devitalized, passive-congenial, vital, and total marriages. Ideas of marriage have stayed consistent over the years, with ideas of love sexual fidelity being completely normal. Marriage increase both physical and mental health. Experiences in marriage between men and women can be significantly different due to cultural and gender norms. Children can also influence the satisfaction of marriage between married couples, with research to suggest that marital dissatisfaction can result. As seems to be common sense, communication is absolutely necessary in good and successful marriages. Negative ways of solving conflicts (i.e. yelling and screaming, fighting) can lead to marriages ending. Marriage education, such as undergraduate courses, exist in today’s world to build on preexisting knowledge of the domain of marriage; however, there are critics both for and against the use of marriage education, both saying it either helps or harms ideas on marriage.
New Material Learned:
Before reading this chapter, I did not know that wives were less healthy (enough so that research has suggested this to be true) than their husbands.
Questions:
This is a really random question. But I want to know people’s thought about the role marriage plays regarding either deaf or blind couples. How do these disabilities affect the ideas of marriage that the chapter discusses? Are blind and/or deaf couples happier? More sad?
-Matthew Sniscak
I don't think being blind or deaf has much effect on the happiness of the marriage, that's a combination of a lot of factors, but these marriages are probably a little deeper than other ones. I feel like the disabilities give an extra link for the couple to bond over and increase things like trust a lot. Ex: The blind person needs their spouse to see for them often and deaf people rely on their spouse to translate and help them communicate, so I think there could be a stronger connection in a sense. Along this thought, it would also make sense that these marriages last longer than others, of course I'm not sure if they do though.
ReplyDeleteI think as long as the blind/death couple can communicate in other forms they won't necessarily be sad. Obviously, for a couple who's blind it will be harder, but you have to think is one spouse blind, are both spouses blind? Communication comes in many different forms and love can be just as strong in my opinion even if the couple can't verbally express their love.
ReplyDeleteI think the communication aspect of their relationship would be key. I think in any marriage communication is key, but I believe they would have to have to really work hard at communication. Like Faith said, communication comes in many different froms. I think anyone can be happy and in love if they can communicate and have a mutual respect for one another
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