Why is singlehood increasing in America?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

There are several reasons why young adults are delaying or forgoing marriage.
These include social reasons and economic reasons (Campbell, 2002; Waite & Joyner, 2001). In the past, those who delayed marriage or opted for a life of singlehood were frowned upon by society; after all, assuming spousal and parenting roles were expected and were considered to be the only appropriate gender roles (Campbell, 2002). Today, however, being single is more socially acceptable than it was in the past, particularly if a young adult is pursuing higher education or career goals. Other social factors, such as society's acceptance of pre-marital/non- marital sexual behavior and nonmarital cohabitation, are also contributing to the increasing number of never-married singles (Waite & Joyner, 2001).
Today it is also increasingly more common for young adults to remain financially dependent upon their family of origin for longer periods of time than it was for young adults in the past (Campbell, 2002; Barrett, 1999). If parents and other caregivers continue to help with college expenses and living expenses, from an economic standpoint, it is financially advantageous for a young adult to remain single.