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Marriage Markets and Intermarriage: Exchange in First Marriages and Remarriages

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  • Zhenchao Qian

    (Brown University)

  • Daniel T. Lichter

    (Cornell University)

Abstract

Drawing on data from the American Community Survey, we compare patterns of assortative mating in first marriages, remarriages, and mixed-order marriages. We identify a number of ascribed and achieved characteristics that are viewed as resources available for exchange, both as complements and substitutes. We apply conditional logit models to show how patterns of assortative mating among never-married and previously married persons are subject to local marriage market opportunities and constraints. The results reveal that previously married individuals “cast a wider net”: spousal pairings are more heterogamous among remarriages than among first marriages. Marital heterogamy, however, is reflected in systematic evidence of trade-offs showing that marriage order (i.e., status of being never-married) is a valued trait for exchange. Never-married persons are better positioned than previously married persons to marry more attractive marital partners, variously measured (e.g., highly educated partners). Previously married persons—especially women—are disadvantaged in the marriage market, facing demographic shortages of potential partners to marry. Marriage market constraints take demographic expression in low remarriage rates and in heterogamous patterns of mate selection in which previously married partners often substitute other valued characteristics in marriage with never-married persons.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhenchao Qian & Daniel T. Lichter, 2018. "Marriage Markets and Intermarriage: Exchange in First Marriages and Remarriages," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 55(3), pages 849-875, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:demogr:v:55:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1007_s13524-018-0671-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s13524-018-0671-x
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    2. Eva Dziadula, 2022. "Match quality and divorce among naturalized U.S. citizens," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 89(1), pages 37-61, July.
    3. Haoming Song, 2022. "Women’s Divergent Union Transitions After Marital Dissolution in the United States," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 41(3), pages 953-980, June.
    4. Frank T Denton & Byron G Spencer & Terry A Yip, 2020. "Changes and Stability in Marital Status: Evidence from Canadian Income Tax Returns," Department of Economics Working Papers 2020-07, McMaster University.
    5. Yang Hu & Yue Qian, 2019. "Educational and age assortative mating in China: The importance of marriage order," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 41(3), pages 53-82.
    6. Zhiyong Lin & Sonalde Desai & Feinian Chen, 2020. "The Emergence of Educational Hypogamy in India," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(4), pages 1215-1240, August.
    7. Giulia Corti & Stefani Scherer, 2021. "Mating Market and Dynamics of Union Formation," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 37(4), pages 851-876, November.
    8. Aaron Gullickson, 2021. "A counterfactual choice approach to the study of partner selection," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 44(22), pages 513-536.
    9. Sangsoo Lee & Hyunjoon Park, 2021. "Trends and educational variation in the association between spouses’ marital histories in South Korea, 1993–2017," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 45(27), pages 857-870.

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