The Rise of Single Women: Socioeconomic Change and Shifting Gender Norms from 1990 to 2024

Publication Date

2026

Presentation Length

Poster/Gallery presentation

College

College of Sciences & Mathematics

Department

Psychological Sciences and Neurosciences, Department of

Student Level

Undergraduate

Faculty Mentor

Adam Smiley

Metadata/Fulltext

Metadata ONLY

Presentation Type

Poster

Summary

Over the past several decades, the proportion of unmarried adults in the United States has increased significantly, reflecting major changes in social behavior and family formation patterns. While researchers have linked this trend to delayed marriage and changing economic conditions (Fry & Parker, 2021), there is a need to further clarify how the relationship between socioeconomic factors and singlehood has evolved over time. This study investigates how the likelihood of singlehood among women in the United States changed between 1990 and 2024 and examines the evolving role of gender role attitudes in explaining these changes. Using archival data from the American National Election Studies (ANES) Time Series Cumulative Data File, this research focuses on female respondents from the years 1990 and 2024. Participants' singlehood status—defined as being unpartnered (never married, widowed, divorced, or separated and not currently living with a partner)—serves as the primary outcome variable. Processed and analyzed in R, the data will be examined using binary logistic regression models to test the predictive power of study year, gender role attitudes, education, and income while controlling for age. It is hypothesized that women were less likely to be single in 1990 than in 2024, reflecting a broader shift from traditional norms toward more liberal attitudes regarding independence (Bachrach, 1998). Furthermore, the study predicts that higher education and income will be more strongly associated with singlehood in 2024 than in 1990, reflecting the impact of the "Quiet Revolution" in women's economic agency (Goldin, 2006). These findings are expected to contribute to demographic theories by clarifying how the "marriage gap" aligns with growing socioeconomic shifts. Practically, results may inform social policy regarding the unique economic needs of unpartnered women and guide future research on the societal implications of shifting marital norms. Data will be analyzed and the results will be presented at SPARK.

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