Why do a lot more divorced men remarry than women?

Why do a lot more divorced men remarry than women?

• A. Because men are more financially stable
• B. Because women have greater dissatisfaction or disillusionment with marriage due to balancing paid employment, domestic labour, childcare and emotional management of the family
• C. Because divorce rates are lower for women
• D. Because men have more social pressure to remarry

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is how gendered expectations and the unequal burden of work inside families affect what happens after divorce. The best answer points to the fact that women carry a heavier load of balancing paid work, domestic labour, childcare and the emotional management of the family. This combination creates more strain and dissatisfaction in marriage for many women, contributing to higher divorce rates among women. Once divorced, those same burdens — money worries, custody or contact with children, and the ongoing demand to manage multiple roles — make it harder for many women to pursue and sustain remarriage. By contrast, divorced men typically face fewer of these constraints and social norms strongly encourage remarriage, so they remarry more often. The answer captures how the unequal division of labour and expectations helps explain the pattern.

The idea being tested is how gendered expectations and the unequal burden of work inside families affect what happens after divorce. The best answer points to the fact that women carry a heavier load of balancing paid work, domestic labour, childcare and the emotional management of the family. This combination creates more strain and dissatisfaction in marriage for many women, contributing to higher divorce rates among women. Once divorced, those same burdens — money worries, custody or contact with children, and the ongoing demand to manage multiple roles — make it harder for many women to pursue and sustain remarriage. By contrast, divorced men typically face fewer of these constraints and social norms strongly encourage remarriage, so they remarry more often. The answer captures how the unequal division of labour and expectations helps explain the pattern.