Are falling marriage rates causing happiness to fall in the US?
More or Less: Behind the Stats
BBC
4.6 • 3.5K Ratings
🗓️ 18 May 2024
⏱️ 10 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
It’s long been known that marriage is associated with happiness in survey data. But are falling marriage rates in the US dragging down the mood of the whole nation?
We investigate the statistical relationships with Professor Sam Peltzman from the University of Chicago, and Professor John Helliwell, from the University of British Columbia.
Presenter: Tom Colls Reporter: Natasha Fernandes Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Sound mix: Nigel Appleton Editor: Richard Vadon
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Take some time for yourself with soothing classical music from the mindful mix, the Science of |
| 0:07.0 | Happiness Podcast. |
| 0:08.0 | For the last 20 years I've dedicated my career to exploring the science of living a happier more meaningful life and I want |
| 0:14.4 | to share that science with you. |
| 0:16.1 | And just one thing, deep calm with Michael Mosley. |
| 0:19.4 | I want to help you tap in to your hidden relaxation response system and open the door to that |
| 0:25.5 | calmer place within. Listen on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:31.6 | Hello and thank you for downloading the more or less podcast. |
| 0:35.0 | We're your weekly guide to the numbers in the news and in life. |
| 0:39.0 | I'm Tom Coles. |
| 0:40.0 | A few months ago sociology professor Brad Wilcox tweeted about his new book which is called |
| 0:49.2 | Get Married and he made the following claim. |
| 0:51.5 | Happiness in America is falling. |
| 0:55.0 | What's the biggest factor driving this? |
| 0:57.0 | It's not economic inequality, failing schools, race, |
| 1:01.0 | or the current or future occupant of the White House. |
| 1:04.0 | It is America's retreat from marriage. |
| 1:07.0 | A couple of very big claims there on the connection between happiness and marriage and its importance on the mood of the nation. |
| 1:14.8 | So is it true? |
| 1:16.8 | Natasha Fernandez has been looking into it. |
| 1:18.8 | The fact that married people tend to be happier than unmarried people has generally been accepted for a long time, |
| 1:28.0 | but the size of that effect has not. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.