Ideal marriage age

Abstract

The article discusses matrimonial plans of the population. The main focus is on the ideal age for the first marriage in the eyes of the respondents and the socio-demographic factors which form them. Existing studies cover only values of the ideal age for men and women, but they do not analyze factors, which affect their variation. In this study authors analyze the factors which form the attitudes to the best age for marriage. The analysis is based on the data of the survey “Human, family, society” conducted in 2015. According to results of the study, in the Russian society there are strong social norms for ideal age for first marriage. These norms depend only in a slight way on demographic or socio-economic factors. The strongest factors which make influence are age, real age at the first marriage for the married respondents, time passed since marriage and the presence of children in the family. Social norms are stronger among women than among men. Attitude to marriage significantly determines the attitude to the family institute in general and also affects the reproductive plans. The use of these social norms may be an effective tool of demographic policy, for example for the promotion of family values and motivation for the formation of families.