Empirical research reveals that marriage decisions systematically deviate from the predictions based upon the conventional neo-classical approach in four respects: (1) people search surprisingly little for available marriage partners; (2) the characteristics of a potential partner are evaluated in a strongly biased way; (3) individuals take little advice for their marriage decision; and (4) the likelihood of one's own marriage ending in a divorce is strongly underestimated. These marriage paradoxes can be integrated into the rational-choice approach: individuals are aware of the possibility of falling prey to such paradoxes, and therefore take precautions at individual and institutional levels.
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