Psychology of Marriage - by Carol Cronin Weisfeld & Glenn E Weisfeld & Lisa M Dillon (Hardcover)

About the Book

Infused with insights from evolutionary psychology, The Psychology of Marriage offers original ideas about committed relationships based on scientific research with adult couples from around the world.

Book Synopsis

Infused with insights from evolutionary psychology, The Psychology of Marriage offers original ideas about committed relationships based on scientific research with adult couples from around the world.

Review Quotes

[T]his work seems useful as a reference tool for those interested in data driven research on cross-cultural issues in marriage.

The scope of their research is impressive, with over 3,000 couples contributing to their projects. Hence, the book provides a valuable resource for those working in the field and readers benefit not only from a comprehensive review of the research literature but also from the authors' methodological approach and the practical advice afforded throughout the book.

The Psychology of Marriage is a superb book that highlights the ins and outs of marriage; the causes of marital happiness and discord; and both the differences and similarities of different cultural groups ranging from Russia to Brazil. It is unique in brining both evolutionary and cultural lenses to focus on our most cherished and heart-rending relationships--two perspectives indispensable for understanding the ties that bind. Each chapter contains many jewels of their research findings. Collectively, the chapters in the book make it a magnificent milestone in the science of marriage.

The Psychology of Marriage is an essential read for anyone interested in the factors shaping marital life cross-culturally as well as the methodology and challenges of research in this area. Extremely useful for psychology students and practitioners. Carol and Glenn Weisfeld and Lisa M. Dillon have pulled together a variety of authors that point out the cross-cultural similarities and differences in marriage as well as the challenges of studying the practice, including the importance of couples research.

The Psychology of Marriage is the com­pendium of contemporary human marriage, offering the most consistent and comprehen­sive series of studies on the topic. The authors enthusiastically share their findings and their foundational program invites others to join in the research. The authors even share the MARQ in an appendix and invite requests to collaborators for its culturally specific adapta­tions. This book will be useful to researchers and could also be employed in upper-division undergraduate or graduate classes from various disciplines because its interdisciplinary approach informs multiple fields of study. This is a feat that should not be underestimated. At nearly 400 pages. . . it reflects an extraor­dinary effort by the collaborators across time and geography. The impressive scope of this work suggests that it will be "the resource" about this topic for the foreseeable future. Well done!

The Psychology of Marriage is a valuable addition to our field. It sheds light on both the culturally specific and the universal, generally adaptive properties of marriage. In their preface, the Editors write "This research has been conducted without any major grants" (p. x). The book demonstrates that much can be accomplished simply with persistence, an intellectual framework and a dedicated group of researchers. The book is an admirable step forward in articulating an evolutionary, multicultural perspective on marriage. [Reviewed by Daniel Perlman]

About the Author

Carol Cronin Weisfeld is professor of psychology at the University of Detroit Mercy.

Glenn E. Weisfeld is professor of psychology at Wayne State University.

Lisa M. Dillon, PhD, is the academic director for the Detroit Medical Center.