A Study on Unmarried Ripe Age Female’s Marital Anticipation

• Main Authors: WANG,YU-JIAO, 王玉嬌
• Other Authors: Ju, Mei-Jen
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2010
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/38080762511936233625

碩士 === 國防大學政治作戰學院 === 社會工作碩士班 === 99 === ABSTRACT This research aims at discussing the marriage anticipations of unmarried ripe age females. For the research, 10 unmarried ripe Taiwanese females aged between 31 to 60 years old were interviewed. Using the “on rollers theory” and Stein’s analysis of “push and pull” factors, the results got from the interviewees were classified into two types: unmarried voluntarily and non-voluntarily. Based on the results, the researcher analyzed positive and negative causes leading to the situation in order to determine the latent factors. Based on the above findings, this research presents the psychological state and personal feelings of the unmarried ripe age females in their selection of spouses as well as their anticipations on marriage. The findings indicated: First, being single may enjoy freedom and liberty and have independence. Moreover, being single may feel superior to their married counterparts. Nevertheless, being single may also imply that she has more time for work, more responsibility in taking care of the parents, needs friends to console her loneliness, and even more endure negative image. The interviewees indicated that their felt especially lonesome during holidays and needed company, thus doubting their decision of not being married. Second, in the marriage market, females with good looks, mature personality and good income will eventually lose ground as time goes by and they become older and older. Third, if females anticipate that they will be unable to marry in the future, their spirit and behavior will plan the following: (1) spiritually, they will seek religious comfort, enrich their lives, extend their horizon, enhance the quality of life and maintain good psychological and physical conditions. (2) In practice, they will assume the “living-and-learning” attitude to enrich themselves by participating in courses or by reading in order to avoid being isolated from society. They will also accumulate their wealth through investment for a rainy day also for their golden years. Fourth, when dreaming about marriage life different ages have different anticipations. The anticipations go from initially enthusiasm, impulse, romanticism, to gradually anxiety, hope, and indifference to finally acceptance of the fact. The only invariable common to all the stages is the marriage anticipation. Fifth, all the interviewees pointed out that marriage to them is a choice not a necessary process. On one hand, to the “non-voluntarily unmarried ripe age females,” they still have dreams and anticipations of an ideal marriage. On the other hand, to the “voluntarily unmarried ripe age females,” they think it is easy to get rid of being single. They do anticipate marriage but are not willing to enter into marriage. Instead, they make a U turn when confronting marriage and choose a less taken road.