Science can either save the day or at the very least assist you in making some important life choices. The decision to get married is a significant one, and many people seem to be anxious about the scheduling.
Have you ever run into one of those desperate women looking for a spouse solely because the clock is ticking? It occurs.
And before you start being judgmental, is it really your fault? Women are frequently told that their eggs have a shelf life and that if they wait too long to find a man, all the “good” ones will be gone.
Here is the ideal marriage age, as determined by research.
Math and science have developed the “37 percent” formula to determine the ideal marriage age. The ideal age to enter the aisle is 26, according to this algorithm.
You now have it. You are no longer need to dither around pondering if the time is now or never. Evidently, getting married at age 26 is great.
The data originates from the book Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions, published by cognitive scientist Tom Griffiths and journalist Brian Christian. In their book, they claim that after eliminating 37% of the alternatives, people make the greatest choices.
They make the case that it would be logical to select a qualified candidate after reviewing 37 percent of the candidates by using the example of interviewing job applicants.
The authors of the study say that it’s at this point where the reviewers of the applicants have enough information to make a good choice, but not too much that they will get weighed down by indecision.
This duo goes even further, saying that this rule works for picking out a partner. The range during which people typically look for love is between 18-40 and the 37 percent mark is — you guessed it — 26.
It’s after this, the quality of the options begins to go down. Womp womp.
However, many experts seem to be in agreement that late 20s is the sweet spot for getting married. Psychologist Wyatt Fisher says that the reason this time in your life is so ideal for settling down is because it is at the point at which you have already completed your education and started a career.
She says, “I believe it’s best to wait until this marker. It’s also important to experience stressors with your partner that you overcome, so if you have a high school sweetheart, you should see how you two handle college, long distance, studying abroad, or getting two jobs. You want to know that you have the conflict management strategies in place for a healthy, successful marriage down the road.”
Relationship therapist, Weena Cullins, thinks the magic number is actually 28.
As she explains, “In my clinical experience, I’ve found that the best age to get married for women in the U.S. is 28. At age 28, my soon-to-be brides exhibit self-awareness and confidence in their choice of a mate. Most 28-year-olds have had the time to successfully explore who they are on a personal and professional level, discover the qualities they desire most in a life partner, and learn from mistakes they made in previous relationships. You’ve had time to get settled in a career, experience college, and graduate school if that’s your preferred path, or simply live independently before combining your life.”
And for men, Cullins thinks the magic number is 32:
“Waiting until age 32 affords men an opportunity to get settled into a career and potentially pursue professional advancement before tying the knot. It also gives them an opportunity to develop socially and emotionally through living on their own and dating. By 32, many men have spent enough time on the social scene to be able to make an informed decision about entering into married life. They also tend to have a sober perspective about having children and their role in co-parenting. This benefits the overall health of the relationship.”
So, if you are 25 and still single, don’t freak out. Likewise, if you’re 36 and still single, don’t lose hope. While this whole thing seems pretty legit when backed by science and math, there is still no sure way of knowing the secret age to have a successful marriage.
It’s all relative folks, but it still doesn’t hurt to have something on to base this wide and confusing world of love on.
