Modern youth perceptions of marriage: power-role status and relationship models

Background. The desire to individualize family roles is blurring the boundaries between traditional spousal roles, leaving room for new types of marriage relationships. Young people's ideas about power and role dynamics in marriage reflect the changing values of young adults. The purpose of this study is to sociologically analyze and typologize young people's views on marriage and the balance of power and roles within marriages. Materials and methods. The study of the types of marital relations preferred by the youth of Penza region is based on the materials of author’s qualitative and quantitative sociological research conducted in 2023 and 2025. Results. The main trends in the attitudes of boys and girls towards the distribution of rights and responsibilities in a married couple have been considered. The types of marital relationships that prevail among young people in Penza region have been identified and their prevalence has been determined. Features of the social profiles of young people who prefer certain types of marital relationships have been high-lighted and analyzed. Conclusions. Modern youth is focused on the idea of partnership in marital relationships, but the reality of implementing this concept is limited. While partner-ship is an ideal concept, in real life, a hybrid type of marital relationship often prevails, combining elements of egalitarianism and patriarchy.