For many Americans, during this time of social distancing and quarantine, a partner or spouse may have been one of the few possible social interactions. And while spending so much time with one person may have its benefits, it goes without saying that this kind of arrangement has its challenges as well.
To better understand the state of relationships, CivicScience dove into the data on engagement expectations and marriage satisfaction–running the gamut from the beginning to the (potential) end of a relationship cycle.
The Perfect Engagement
As it turns out, 45% of U.S. adults believe that both partners should together choose the ring that will be used in a marriage proposal. Although, women under-index compared to the Gen Pop. Almost 50% of women believe both partners should pick out the ring together.
In a similar vein, Americans love a new ring, with 34% believing that a new ring is the best type of engagement ring. Again, gender differences are marked with women more likely to prefer something borrowed as the sign of love and commitment.
And, despite how often it occurs, the majority of Americans agree that getting engaged in public with an observing crowd is not their idea of the perfect proposal. The desire for a more private engagement is rather timely.
Marriage Endurance and COVID
While some marriages are just beginning, others may be coming to an end. CivicScience asked more than 2,100 U.S. adults about their current feelings on their marriage and 71% say they would still marry their current spouse if given a redo. That means 28% of U.S. adults have some sort of conflicting feelings about their current partner or their decision to marry.
Those who would not remarry their spouse are the youngest adults. They also happen to earn the least.
In July 2019, 76% of U.S. adults planned to stay with their current spouse forever. That percentage is now up to 78%, an increase worth noting, all things considered.
As for those who are most likely to split, they tend to be those not working and not getting paid. It’s clear the strain of being unemployed or financially suffering is hurting individuals and their relationships, but being part of a younger generation is also one of the common denominators of both unemployment and marriage dissatisfaction.
In 2021, marriage is still alive and well, with more couples than before planning to stay together for the long-run. That said, it’s clear that younger adults may be facing greater marital difficulty, as many can already see that they wouldn’t choose the same partner over again.
