Maiden Mother Matriarch with Louise Perry Why We Marry Who We Marry - Benjamin Goldman | Maiden Mother Matriarch Episode 145
Jun 4, 2025
Benjamin Goldman, an Assistant Professor of Economics at Cornell University, sheds light on modern marriage dynamics. He reveals the dramatic decline in marriage rates among non-college-educated Americans over the last century. Factors like sex ratios and socioeconomic challenges play key roles in this shift. Goldman discusses how educational attainment intricately influences partner selection and marriage patterns. He also dives into the complexities of interracial and interclass marriages, highlighting their growing challenges and evolving societal perceptions.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Assortative Mating Explained
- People tend to marry those very similar to themselves socioeconomically, not just "marrying up."
- This assortative mating varies by education and race, but strong general patterns exist.
College Education Drives Marriage Trends
- Marriage rates among college-educated women have been stable but dropped sharply for non-college-educated women.
- Educational attendance and gender composition on campuses have changed dramatically since 1930.
Marriage Market Compensation
- College-educated women increasingly marry non-college men who are economically well-off.
- This compensates for the scarcity of college-educated men relative to women on campuses.