Utilizing relationship matrices to better understand the diversity of household arrangements among romantic couples: A cross-country example |
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Authors: | Peter D Brandon |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Carleton College, MN, USA |
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Abstract: | Changes in families over the past thirty years have created methodological challenges for research on family variation. Some
argue that standard survey methods used for collecting data on families have been outpaced by the transformation of families
and hence estimates of family variation are maccurate and opportunities for cross-country comparisons of family variation
are hampered. This situation is rectifiable through greater use of relationship matrices. This underused data collection method
can precisely portray family variation and facilitate cross-country comparisons. To illustrate the method’s usefulness for
family research, relationship matrices data on young persons from Australia and the United States are exploited to: depict
individuals’ living arrangements; identify patterns in partnering and childbearing; describe demographic diversity across
types of couples; and compare family variation across countries. |
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Keywords: | family variation consensual unions household relationship matrices |
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