By Raylee Foster | Staff Writer
The heart is not the only role that plays a part when it comes to love.
The average age for getting married has changed over the years, as has the rate of divorce. One thing has remained the same: the age the frontal lobe develops at 25 years. The development of this part of the brain directly affects an individual’s judgment, and may play a role in decision making regarding marriage and relationships.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the median age for one’s first marriage has gradually increased. In recent years however, this median has seen a decline, and women are consistently getting married younger. With frontal lobe development completed for women earlier than men, this decision making age range is consistent with brain development age ranges.
The Neurobiology of Love, a study by Franza Francesco and Alba Cervone, found that, because the frontal lobe is connected to judgment, its lack of development while in serious relationships can lead to the type of maddening love described by poets and writers.
Since the brain cortex controlling judgment is not developed, many warnings in relationships can be overlooked and create long term problems, the study said.
“If ‘the heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing,’ it is quite literally, because reason is suspended,” the study says. “When Blaise Pascal uttered these words he could not have known that reason is suspended because the frontal lobes are — temporarily at least — also suspended.”
Baylor students’ view of marriage before graduation, and therefore before frontal lobe development, varies.
Chaska, Minn., freshman Caleb Beckering said one’s judgment at a young age could cause problems in the future. He said being married before 22, in his opinion, could be ‘detrimental.’
“Because you’re young, you may miss certain red flags that would lead to a poor marriage or unfulfilled marriage,” Beckering said. “I’d say getting married after 22 or 21 is fine, but getting married before that is especially detrimental.”
Johns Creek, Ga., senior Anne Madison Trammell said she viewed marriage at a young age as a growing experience, and not a potential problem. She said it is a way to grow into the role of a wife or husband as opposed to fitting that role into an already independent life.
“You learn what it means to live your life honoring someone else before yourself. As a single person this is hard to learn,” Trammell said. “Becoming your own independent person and then trying to make two lives fit together is much harder than creating a life together.”
Trammell also said, although the frontal lobe is not fully developed, there is still growth that can be done together. She said brain development in a relationship opens the door to growing together and developing a foundational, strong relationship.
“I think there’s wisdom in getting married younger,” Trammell said. “Your brain won’t be fully developed, but it could be favorable that those last few years of development are in the context of marriage when decisions don’t just affect you, but your spouse as well.”
Despite the diverse opinions, a 2016 Baylor study found that the culture of “Ring by Spring” attributed to Christian colleges, can often leave students feeling pressured to commit to lifelong relationships prior
to graduation.
The pressure to commit, according to the study, can come from friends, family, churches, peers or society at large. Although many students feel it, the study suggests the reality of students getting married at a young age is much less common.
“I asked students whether they anticipated becoming engaged or being married before they graduated,” Stacy Keogh George said in her study. “Only 6.3% of students say that they are either engaged or plan to become engaged before graduation. Given the pressure felt by most students in the survey, there is an evident disconnect between this realist and the students’ expectation.”
A follow up study from George’s 2016 research found Baylor has an 18% marriage rate. Though pressure to comply with ‘ring by spring’ culture may seem intense, the reality is the percentage of married undergraduates is much lower.
Not only can brain development affect the longevity of a marriage that begins before the age of 25, but factors outside of brain development can play a role as well.
Beckering said while brain development plays a role, the wide range of change an individual undergoes during college years can result in a decision that is, at the time, good turn stale as their life changes.
“I think you experience a lot of change from ages 18 to 25 and that is partially due to the frontal lobe I guess,” Beckering said. “It can make a decision that is really good and sound good at one point, and be quite bad in the long run, you could make a really poor decision just because you change so much.”
