Final answer:
Divorce is less common in societies where individuals marry at an older age, have higher education levels, and where marriage rates are lower overall, such as in the Northeast region of the U.S. Other factors like race, changing social norms, and economic structures of the society also influence divorce rates.
Step-by-step explanation:
Divorce trends vary widely across different regions and demographic groups. Historically, divorce was less common and considered a taboo subject, with rates being significantly lower in the early and mid-20th century. The liberalization of divorce laws and societal shifts, such as women entering the workforce, led to increased divorce rates after the 1960s, which have since stabilized.
In which kind of societies is divorce less common? Societies with higher marriage ages, higher levels of education, and lower marriage rates tend to have lower divorce rates. For instance, the Northeast region of the United States, where individuals marry at an older age and have higher education levels, experiences lower rates of divorce. Conversely, the South has higher divorce rates, potentially due to earlier marriage ages and higher marriage rates. Racial and ethnic factors also play a role, with American Indian and Alaskan Natives, as well as blacks and whites, reporting higher divorce rates compared to Latinos and Asians.
Changing social norms, such as those occurring in Iceland, where consensual unions are becoming more common, and the adoption of same-sex marriages can impact divorce trends as well. In cultures with different economic bases, such as small-scale farming societies, forms of marriage like polygamy may be more prevalent due to the utility of having more children for labor. In summary, societies with delayed marriage, higher education levels, and adapted social policies tend to have less frequent divorces.