Marriage Function: a Qualitative Research

Changes in marriage patterns and methods of raising a family, following the transition from a traditional to a modern society, have led to alternations in goals, function, and necessity of raising a family. The present study was a comparative study examining single and married people’s attitudes toward marriage function. The method of this study was qualitative. The statistical population included all single and married men and women in Tehran. The sample contained 55 single men, 57 married men, 66 single women, and 60 married women whom were selected using convenience and purposive sampling methods. Statistical analysis, initially, were conducted through content analysis of subjects’ responses to an open question, “what is the marriage function?”, and after categorizing the responses by several psychologists, using nonparametric chi-square test, consistency of single and married people’s opinions was examined. The subjects’ responses to 6 components of physical, psychological, social, economic, religious and spiritual functions were categorized. Comparing single and married men and women groups demonstrated significant differences in these categories. Single and married people’s opinions on marriage physiological function were consistent. Regarding psychological, social, and economic functions, opinions were not consistent. Single people mentioned these categories more than married people and married people mentioned religious and spiritual categories more than single people. Consistency and inconsistency of single and married men’s and women’s opinions indicate some changes in people’s views on marriage function; however, people still consider some functions and benefits for marriage and have a tendency toward it.