Late Marriage and Marital Instability: The Effects of Heterogeneity and Inflexibility

Using interview data from a national sample of married persons [in the United States] this study investigates the effects of late marriage on marital instability. An index measuring a wide range of activities related to divorce and separation is used to indicate the degree of instability. Persons married later in life were found to be more heterogeneous in their choice of mate. When this heterogeneity is controlled the relationship between age at first marriage and instability is negative and linear. No support was found for the hypothesis that late marriage may be associated with marital instability because such spouses are too set in their ways.. (EXCERPT)