How do families develop? Dating emerged in the United States in the 1920s when children of immigrants shed old customs and teens had unprecedented freedom. Dating sometimes leads to marriage, the most...

How do families develop? Dating emerged in the United States in the 1920s when children of immigrants shed old customs and teens had unprecedented freedom. Dating sometimes leads to marriage, the most common family formation. Marriage in the United States varies by race; White women are more likely to marry than others. Not everyone marries; increasingly people are choosing to postpone marriage, to cohabit, or to remain single. Choices are influenced by education, changing sexual mores, and the women’s movement. Attitudes toward interracial marriage are also changing, which is reflected in increased rates of such marriages. Also, same-sex couples cannot marry in most states but do form partnerships and cohabit.