Abstract

Having experienced much social changes, the marital structure of males and females in Taiwan has encountered a significant change, featuring a pluralist trend on family structure and formation. According to the statistics data of the Ministry of Interior, the average first-marriage-age of our males and females has continuously climbed high. Why are people finding it difficult to find someone for marriage? Why do they choose to marry late or to be single? What marital attitude exactly does “he” or “she” have in mind? This study is based on the Taiwan Social Change Survey (TSCS) in 2006. Out of the available samples, 574 samples of unmarried individuals were selected for further analysis. After reviewing relevant literatures, our analysis focuses on the correlation among gender, gender role and marriage via several factors that can represent individual personality variables, including age, ethnic groups, educational background, stable work status and religious belief. The results are as follows: Generally speaking, the attitude of unmarried males and females towards gender role and marriage largely appears to be less traditional. But, if comparing males with females, it appears that other than the traditional preference of females wanting a husband older than them, males maintain a more traditional and stereotypical view. Gender and gender role are two deciding factors to the marital attitude. As compared to other variables, “gender” has a comparatively important effect on the belief that “a husband should be older than his wife.” This suggests that unmarried females traditionally believe an older husband perhaps can better secure a sound marriage. Whether they support “it is better to have children after marriage” or “a married woman is much happier,” the unmarried males and those who agree that “a wife should put her husband’s career first” basically belong to the group holding a traditional attitude towards marriage. Accordingly, they tend to give a more positive value to marriage. As to those who agree that “a wife should put her husband’s career first,” may believe that “to be married is better than to be single.”