Race and Relationship advice: Effects of marriage market differences on cultural expectations of behavior

To see if and how marriage market differences between black and white women in the US are reflected in relationship advice, relationship articles in two popular women's magazines, one targeting black women and one targeting white women, are systematically coded and analyzed. The results of this content analysis of 213 relationship articles indicate that marriage market differences are reflected in such advice. Magazine articles aimed at black women focus on men's financial problems, infidelity, and prior relationships significantly more frequently than articles targeting white women, mirroring the issues that black women face in their particular marriage market. Furthermore, the results demonstrate a greater focus on the male perspective in advice targeting black women.