FAMILY-INITIATED AND COUPLE-INITIATED MARRIAGES IN TURKEY

The characteristics of Turkish family- and couple-initiated marriages are examined. Four hundred sixty-nine couples who were obtaining marri age licenses for their first marriage were interviewed about their bac kground characteristics; importance ratings of several reasons for mar riage; reports of feelings and cognitions related to spouse, parents, and the two families; and reports of frequencies of interacting with s pouse in different social contexts. Results revealed that individuals in the two types of marriage differed with respect to education backgr ound. Further analyses, controlling for effects of education backgroun d, revealed that participants in the two types of marriage varied with respect to endorsement of different reasons for marriage, feelings an d cognitions concerning spouse and the families, and frequency of inte raction in different social contexts. Differences between the sexes wi th respect to rated importance of different reasons for marriage and f eelings for family were also found.