Trends in marriage and fertility along with shifting social norms and important legal changes have reshaped the American family.
Public views of the family are complicated. Americans are more pessimistic than optimistic about the institution of marriage and the family.
And there is no consensus on how some of the broad trends that are driving family change will impact the country in the future. Majorities say fewer people marrying these days and more couples living together without being married won’t have a positive or negative impact.
There’s baseline support for a variety of family arrangements, but the public still favors some types of families over others. Families that include a married husband and wife raising children are seen as the most acceptable. At the same time, relatively few Americans say marriage and parenthood are central to living a fulfilling life.
Overall, 40% of Americans say, in thinking about the future of the country, they are very or somewhat pessimistic about the institution of marriage and the family. Only 25% are very or somewhat optimistic, and 29% say they are neither optimistic nor pessimistic.
The survey asked about some key trends in family life and what impact they might have in the future. The one that was viewed most negatively by far was the trend toward fewer children being raised by two married parents. About half of adults (49%) say this will have a negative impact on the country, while 11% say the impact will be positive.
Nearly half or more say other trends – such as people having fewer children or marrying later in life – will have neither a positive nor negative impact.
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