It is traditionally considered that a higher male population leads to such negative implications as social instability, marriages breakdown, and hooliganism. However, the scientists proved the opposite. The rate of marriages is dependent on gender ratios but in another way.

Gender ratios affect marriage rates

The American researchers Ryan Schacht and Karen Kramer have placed a question mark over the idea that male abundance causes higher rates of divorce, social insecurity, and crime. In their opinion, we should be concerned about the negative dynamics of marriage and divorce in female-dominated societies.

One-baby policy in China

When one-baby program was initiated in China in the late 1970s, sociologists were concerned that it will cause the gender imbalance in future.

The preference for boys led to an increase in the number of males, and by 2020 their number is expected to exceed the number of women by as much as 20 million.

The scientists were assumed that an increased number of unmarried males might destabilize the institution of marriage and the social situation in the country on the whole. As the statistics show, men are more inclined to hazardous activities than women.

Families in Guyana

While working on his dissertation, Schacht visited Guyana in 2014 in order to study the dynamics of family creation in 8 small villages in areas remote from civilization. The economic situation in the region has provoked migration of sexes and allowed Schacht to observe the stability of family relations, depending on the number of free partners, Science Daily reports.

After interviewing more than 300 people, he made interesting discoveries.

• In villages where women prevailed, men were prone to involvement in short term affairs.
• But in villages where the number of men was higher, they have shown themselves as good husbands and fathers. The marriages were stronger and men tended to build long-term relationships with only one partner.

The scientist supposes that such situation ca be explained by the law of supply and demand.

If you are a representative of a rare sex, you have a broader choice and feel more dominance.

When there are a lot of women, the “selectivity” of men can be expressed through dating multiple women and tendency to short-term sexual relationships.

In male-dominated societies, men are more family oriented and build long lasting relationships.

Gender ratio theory proven in the USA

In order to expand the scope of the study Schacht and Kramer checked their theory in the USA.

They calculated the number of married people, children born out of wedlock, and female-headed households in all 50 states of America.

The researchers compared their findings with the sex ratios in each state in order to assess how gender imbalance affects the rate of marriages.

The results obtained in Guyana’s eight villages turned out to be true in the United States as well.

The largest number of married adults live in the districts with the higher number of men. Besides, men in these regions are committed to their marriages.

It is also necessary to emphasize that the negative image of female-dominated societies is not associated with women’s behavior. Most likely, it is due to the excessive number of unmarried men.

In conclusion, the scientists add that the ratio of men and women plays a significant role, but it goes in tandem with other factors like poverty rates, education level, etc.

Sex ratio by county in the United States. Click to enlarge. Source: Science Daily.

Gender ratio in Russia

In Russia, the situation is more than curious.

Russian women get pregnant with boys more frequent. For every 1000 boys, 947 girls are born.

At the age of 5, there are 953 girls for 1000 boys and this ratio remains unchanged until they’re 19.

Then the share of males starts declining and reach 1:1 ratio by 34, according to Rg.ru.

Unfortunately, after that period the gender ratio turns in favor of women.

By the age of 80, there are 3,000 women for 1,000 men.

Alcohol abuse and bad habits do not allow men to live longer lives.

Although there are some areas where men outnumber women. For example, in Chukotka and Krasnoyarsk region, women are in higher demand. The situation in Russia’s Far East is also quite tolerable.

The demographic situation is one of the serious reasons why women from Russia register on international dating sites. It gives them a possibility to find a life partner abroad because the shortage of men prevents them from doing it in their home country.

Gender ratios in Russia, as of March 2016.

Read also:

• Gender Imbalance In Russian Business
• The Class Structure of Russian Society
• What is different about Eastern European women?
• Gender Pay Gap in Ukraine — Women Earn 41% Less Than Men for Top Jobs