Researchers have examined changes in the institution of marriage in terms of reasons as to why individuals are getting married to each other – cornerstone marriage model to capstone marriage model, companionate marriage to individualistic marriage – to explain a general decline in the marriage rate among individuals. A model known as the suffocation model of marriage is being used to explain both the decline in marriage rates as well as an increase in divorce rates. According to the suffocation model, individuals are likely to leave the marriage when they believe that there is an imbalance between their high expectations from the marriage and what they have invested into it . Individuals feel suffocated because of not having invested enough to gain the maximum fulfillment from the marriage. The suffocation model draws some of its core ideas from Maslow’s theory on the Hierarchy of Needs.
Respond to the following questions in about 300 to 400 words (for all the questions put together):
1. Summarize the relationship between the fulfillment of needs in a marriage and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (after having read the article).
2. What is your opinion about the fulfillment of needs in a marriage? Is there a “one-size fits all” model when it comes to marriages (keeping in mind the author’s thesis about the suffocation model)? Do you think the fulfillment of needs in a marriage varies based on gender, age of the individuals in the relationship, culture of the individuals, social class, etc? Explain your answer
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