ABSTRACT
Marriage in Western culture has undergone significant change over the last half of the twentieth century. Increased rates of divorce, larger numbers of cohabiting couples, and more frequent parenting outside of marriage all suggest shifts in the role of marriage in family life. Meanwhile, with longer life expectancies in the West, more adults are finding themselves single, divorced, or widowed. In addition, married adults are living longer in their post-reproductive years, making non-procreative sex an increasingly important chapter of their lives.
