The authors of the “The Changing Landscape of Love and Marriage” (found in the most recent issue of Contexts) Kathleen Hull, Ann Meier and Timothy Ortyl have graciously lent the Teaching blog some great ideas for ways to use their article in the classroom.
The first activity they offer to pair with the article is an in-class survey that asks the students to rank their feelings/opinions on love, relationships and sexuality. Here’s a sample of the questions:
In-Class Survey (sample questions)
Rate the importance of the following characteristics in a mate, using a four-point scale as follows:
A=indispensable; B=important; C=desirable, but not very important; and D=irrelevant or unimportant.
9. good cook and housekeeper
10. pleasing disposition
11. sociability
12. similar educational background
13. refinement and neatness
14. good financial prospect
15. chastity (no previous experience in sexual intercourse)
16. dependable character…27. There’s been a lot of discussion about the way morals and attitudes about sex are changing in this country. If a man and a woman have sexual relations before marriage, do you think it is always wrong, almost always wrong, wrong only sometimes, or not wrong at all?
A. Always wrong
B. Almost always wrong
C. Wrong only sometimes
D. Not wrong at all28. What if they are in their early teens, say 14 to 16 years old? In that case, do you think sex relations before marriage are always wrong, almost always wrong, wrong only sometimes, or not wrong at all?
A. Always wrong
B. Almost always wrong
C. Wrong only sometimes
D. Not wrong at all29. What about sexual relations between two adults of the same sex – you think it is always wrong, almost always wrong, wrong only sometimes, or not wrong at all?
A. Always wrong
B. Almost always wrong
C. Wrong only sometimes
D. Not wrong at all34. Who do you think usually enjoys sex more – men, women, or do they both enjoy it the same amount?
A. Men
B. Women
C. Both the same amount
D. Don’t knowRate your agreement or disagreement with the following statements using this 5-point scale:
A=Strongly agree, B=Agree, C=Neither agree nor disagree, D=Disagree, E=Strongly disagree.
35. Same-sex couples should have the right to marry one another.
36. It is all right for a couple to live together without getting married.
37. It’s a good idea for a couple who intend to get married to live together first.42. Which of the following statements comes closest to your feelings about pornography laws?
A. There should be laws against the distribution of pornography whatever the age
B. There should be laws against the distribution of pornography to persons under 18
C. There should be no laws forbidding the distribution of pornography
D. Don’t know45. I would not have sex with someone unless I was in love with them.
A. Strongly agree
B. Agree
C. Disagree
D. Strongly disagree46. My religious beliefs have shaped and guided my sexual behavior.
A. Strongly agree
B. Agree
C. Disagree
D. Strongly disagree(questions 9-26 are from Buss et. al.–referenced in the article)
Be on the look out for more activities to pair with this article next week!
Comments 1
Cherlin on Marriage | Crimiology — May 26, 2011
[...] Students answer another survey about what they think about love and marriage. This would need to be given out before discussion of the article. I think this actually would be great to add because you can talk about how the class compares to the sample in the paper. [...]