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Is Marriage Worth It? Research Says Yes

University of Utah

Is marriage worth the investment? That’s a question many American men face, and some agree that marriage means a lack a freedom. University of Utah professor Nicholas Wolfinger disagrees. His latest research brief showsthat the benefits of marriage definitely outweigh the sacrifices.

 

“None of what we’re saying is new. Social science has known this for a long time," he said. "The vast majority of married people are happy in their marriages.”

A record-high 20 percent of American adults have never been married, according to the Pew Research Center.

“Why do men view it as a ball and chain? Well, it’s Hollywood. Look how married men are depicted in sitcoms. They’re henpecked, they’re sexless. A common joke to tease men about marriage and to ask them if they stop having sex. In fact, more married people are happy with their sex life. The average married man as more sex than the average single man," Wolfinger said.

Nearly half of married men ages 20 to 39 report they are “very happy” with their lives, compared to 20 percent of single men.

“That’s one of the other reasonswe wrote about the brief. It’s just not often portrayed,” he said. “They’re happy. They don’t talk about that. It’s the cheating that people gossip about. And the stories we hear are the bad ones. It’s not an interesting story hear about a your friend who didn’t cheat. It is interesting to hear about the one who did cheat.”