The Collision of Tradition and Modernity: An In- Depth Narrative Study on Marriage and Love Attitudes of Generation Z Youth

Abstract

Faced with the multifaceted social challenges of declining marriage rates, rising divorce rates, and an aging population in China, the phenomena of late marriage and non-marriage have evolved from individual choices into structural societal issues. As a significant cohort of marriageable age, the attitudes of Generation Z towards romance and marriage have increasingly garnered extensive attention from sociological, demographic, and psychological disciplines. This study, through in-depth narrative research based on interviews with 12 members of Generation Z, combined with intergenerational comparisons, explores the contemporary attitudes of Generation Z towards marriage and romance amidst the collision of traditional and modern values. In response to these findings, this study innovatively proposes a “quadruple dialogue” intervention mechanism, encompassing intergenerational communication, intimate relationship education, policy adjustment, and media guidance, to provide feasible solutions for alleviating societal marriage anxiety. The research not only expands the theoretical perspectives of intergenerational marriage studies but also offers significant references for promoting the interaction between marriage and family systems and societal development.