Intergenerational variation and changes in attitudes towards marriage issues in Iran

Abbas Askari-Nodoushan, Yazd University, Iran

During recent decades, dramatic shifts in attitudes and values regarding some aspects of marriage have occurred in Iran. Using data from a recently conducted survey in the city of Yazd, Iran, this paper examines intergenerational variation and changes between parents and children in attitudes towards a wide range of marriage issues, including attitudes towards ideal age at marriage, consanguineous marriage, spousal choice, living arrangements, and practice of polygyny. Results show that there is increased acceptance of higher age at marriage for both sexes, more involvement of young people in their mate selection process, independent living after marriage and at the same time, declining acceptance of marriage between relatives as well as polygamous marriage. Results also show that generational difference in these marriage attitudes is significant, with young people for the most part favoring those attitudes that are more modern.