Dating patterns among a selected sample of students at the University of Manitoba

Abstract

It was the purpose of this study (1) to attempt clarification of various issues in the area of dating and (2) to test in Canada the findings of American research on dating. Data were collected in March, 1966, by means of a questionnaire administered to students enrolled in sociology courses at the University of Manitoba. As the sample was chosen on a non-random basis, findings were not generalized to all students at the University of Manitoba. Twenty-two hypotheses were tested by means of contingency tables... The analysis of data indicated that age of initial dating was not significantly related to the variables of occupational class of head of student's household, educational class of head of student's household, use of language in addition to English in the student's home, and going steady... Dating type was found to be significantly related to frequency of dating for both males and females, and to expected age of marriage for females. Dating frequency was found to be related to number of persons dated for both sexes and to expected age of marriage for females. The data also indicated a significant difference between urban and rural males with regard to age of initial dating.. It was found that students from the upper social classes tended to restrict their dating to university students more than did students from the lower social classes. No significant difference was found between students from the upper and lower classes with regard to times lack of material factors interfered with dating or with regard to dating adjustment...