Perceived Women’s Marital Readiness Within a Society in Transition: The Case of Palestinians in Israel

Abstract

This study aimed to examine social change in values and social beliefs regarding women’s marital readiness among Palestinians in Israel, as a case study of a society in transition. 360 participants, divided by generation (elders, ages 60 and above versus youngsters, ages 16–19) and residence (urban, Haifa citizens versus rural, Northern Bedouins) filled out questionnaires regarding cultural values, three factors from a Marital Readiness Scale, two questions regarding women’s ideal marital age and a demographic questionnaire. Results showed a generational change in values and in marital readiness of women, so that the younger generation revealed more openness to change and less conservation values, as well as higher ideal marital age and more emphasis on achieving milestones before marriage (finishing education, having a job) than the older generation. Moreover, generational differences in marital readiness criteria were mediated by the decrease in conservation values, rather than by the increase in openness to change values. No difference was found in the importance of women’s family capacities. Those results were discussed in terms of social change in women’s social status within societies in transition toward more egalitarian gender roles in women’s education and participation in the labor market, combined with more traditional perceptions of household and child-rearing tasks as women’s responsibilities. Residential differences were less obvious. Rural elderly especially emphasized abilities to be in a relationship as a criterion for marital readiness, which was explained by the cultural term “women’s wisdom” and the expectation that women should be able to maintain the marital relationship.