Social psychology seminar

1. DIVORCE

2. WHAT IS DIVORCE?
Divorce or dissolution of marriage is
the final termination of a marriage,
canceling the legal duties and
responsibilities of marriage and dissolving
the bonds of matrimony between married
persons.

3. DIVORCE STATISTICS
In India
• Statistics shows that only 13 out of 1000 Indian
marriages end up to a divorce which is quite low
in comparison to America’s 50% of marriages
turning into breakups.
• Even if that is the case, a rapid increase in the
divorce cases has been observed during last few
years.
• Divorces granted by the family courts increased
by 350 per cent between 2003 and 2011 in
Kolkata, and doubled in Mumbai between 2010
and 2014.

4. DIVORCE STATISTICS
In Kerala
• According to Malayala Manorama, 19028
divorce cases were registered in the year
2015.
• Number of cases has become four times
during the last decade.
• Trivandrum district tops among various
districts of Kerala with 2968 cases.
• Wayanad district has the lowest number of
cases – 239.

5. KERALA DIVORCE STATISTICS
THIRUVANANTH
APURAM, 2968
KOLLAM, 2166
PATTANAMTHIT
TA, 1165
KOTTAYAM,
1151ALAPPUZHA,
1614
ERNAKULAM,
2315
IDUKKI, 504
TRISSUR,
1988
PALAKKADU,
1090
KOZHIKKODU,
1326
WAYANAD, 239
MALAPPURAM,
641
KANNUR, 1269 KASARGOD, 392

6. REASONS FOR THE INCREASE IN
DIVORCE RATE
• The waning influence of the family and joint
family.
• The growing psychological and financial
independence of women.
• Late marriages resulting in a greater
reluctance to compromise or change set ways
and lifestyles.
• Increased willingness to end a marriage that is
not working.

7. DIVORCE ACTS IN INDIA
• Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Jains are
governed by the Hindu Marriage Act 1955
• Christians are governed by The Divorce Act
1869
• Muslims by the Dissolution of Muslim
Marriages Act 1939
• Inter-religious marriages are governed by The
Special Marriage Act 1954.

8. MAIN CAUSES OF DIVORCE
As per various researches, main causes are
• Infidelity
• Growing apart
• Personality clashes
• Lack of communication
• Drinking
• Drug abuse
• Mental cruelty
• Physical violence

9. INDIAN SCENARIO
• As in the case of culture, there is a great
difference in the rate as well as in the causes
of divorce in India compared to western
countries.
• Major reason for the low rate is arranged
marriage.
• Main causes are dowry, extra-marital affair,
unemployment, drinking, financial problems,
domestic violence etc.

10. OTHER CAUSES
• Misuse of social media
• Ego conflict
• One partner’s lack of interest in sex
• Paranoid disorders

11. Divorced before 30: 5 ex-couples
explain what went wrong with their
marriages
• He had very different expectations of a wife
• It was clear we were not meant for each other
• He expected me to cook
• I suspect he was gay
• He changed after the wedding
HINDUSTAN TIMES

12. IMPACTS OF DIVORCE FROM A SOCIAL
PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
• Family is an integral part of the social life of
an individual and therefore a divorce will
adversely affect the social life of each
member of the family.
• Divorce affects children more than that of
their parents.
• Members of divorced families are more
prone to psychological problems than others.

13. IMPACTS OF DIVORCE ON ADULTS
 Divorced adults are generally less happy.
 Divorced individuals, particularly women, are
more vulnerable to depression. They have
higher levels of psychological stress, lower
levels of general psychological well-being, and
poorer self-esteem.
 Divorced individuals see a doctor more often
and are more likely to suffer from serious
illnesses.

14.  They experience more social isolation.
 After a few years, most divorced fathers do
not have regular contact with their children.
 Divorced adults drink more alcohol than
married adults and account for the highest
proportion of heavy drinkers.

15. HOW MUCH DIVORCE AFFECTS
CHILDREN ?
• Various researches have been conducted to
study the impacts of divorce on children of
divorced parents.
• These studies show that children suffer most in
a divorce because of their age and vulnerability.
• A 10 year follow-up study conducted by
Wallerstein in 1985 shows that divorce can
affect a child physically, emotionally and
socially.

16. PHYSICAL
Participants reported poorer physical health than
children from intact families.
EMOTIONAL
 Fears of betrayal, abandonment, loss, and
rejection.
 Rising anxiety in late teens and early 20s.
 Life-long vulnerability to the experience of loss.
 Anger, resentment, and hostility.
 A reduction in psychological well-being.
 Depression in young adulthood.
 Low life satisfaction.

17. SOCIAL
 Reduction in the ability to develop and
maintain supportive friendships and dating
relationships.
 Children of divorce are more likely
themselves to divorce as adults.
 Earlier sexual intercourse.
 Delinquent behaviors.
 Fear of commitment and intimacy.
 Less trust in future spouse.
 Lower socioeconomic status.

18. WAYS TO REDUCE DIVORCE RATE
• Proper understanding
• Expression of love
• Effective communication
• Appreciation for the partner’s work
• Moral support
• Ability to listen

19. CONCLUSION
 Divorce is an act of serious social psychological
importance.
 It affects the personal and social life of all the
members of the family.
 Divorce rates are now increasing because of
various reasons mentioned earlier.
 The best way to reduce divorce rate is to make
the individuals aware of the impacts of
divorce.

20. THANK YOU