The impermanence of intimate relationships – socio-demographic conditions for reasons of the potential decision to break up for women and men

Abstract

The article falls within the field of the sociology of the family, primarily the sociology of couples and the sociology of intimacy. The study and the analysis were carried out from the perspective of the concept of changes in marriage and family life as proposed by L. Jamieson, A Giddens, U. Beck, and E. Beck-Gernsheim. The study was based on J.C. Kaufmann’s concept of intimate relationship and R. Connell’s concept of gender. Our main research focus was to identify the specific social conditions for the impermanence of relationships. The study was conducted in 2018 on a representative sample of 951 adult Poles, using direct interview method: The Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI). The authors aimed to identify the valid reasons for breaking up a relationship for women and men in relationship crisis and dissatisfaction, and to establish the link between socio-demographic characteristics based on gender. It was established that a partner’s infidelity and relationship dysfunction are the most frequently indicated reasons for breakups. Gender was noted as a factor diversifying the frequency with which such reasons were indicated only regarding relationship dysfunctions. The analysis within gender helped establish that in the case of women age, level of education, and intimate status were the factors that diversified the reasons for breaking up. Regarding men, such diversifying factors included age, socio-professional group, and intimate status.