Project information
The changing stability of educationally non-homogamous partnerships: the rise of hypogamy

We analyze at the partnerships of young (25-34 years old) female university graduates from European Union countries. We try to uncover the reason behind the comparable stability of their partnerships, whether they are homogamous or nonhomogamous. We formulate the following three hypotheses: H1: The partnerships of young women with tertiary education are educationally heterogeneous, but their stability is ensured by hidden homogamy in other indicators that are important from a female perspective. Even if women enter into partnership or marriage with a less educated partner, in reality it is a homogamous or even hypergamous partnership, for example in terms of income, attractiveness, or values. Confirmation of this hypothesis will show that partner selection is female-driven and that women decide to what extent a less educated partner fulfils their expectations of an equal partner in other aspects. H2: The partnerships of young women with tertiary education are educationally heterogeneous, but their stability is ensured by hidden homogamy in other indicators that are important from a male perspective. Even if women enter into non-homogamous partnership or marriages, these are in fact homogamous or even hypogamous in terms of other indicators that are important to men. If this hypothesis is confirmed, it means that partner selection is male-driven, i.e., men assess how much they can tolerate a more educated partner whom they surpass in other indicators (e.g., income). H3: The partnerships of young women with tertiary education are non-homogamous in all respects; the stability of their marriages is due either to cultural change or to structural changes in the marriage market.