Department of Sociology

Dr. Matthew Wright joined the faculty of Appalachian State University in 2020 and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology. He earned his Ph.D in Sociology in 2017 from Bowling Green State University. His teaching interests center on families, intimate relationships, aging, demography, and statistics. Dr. Wright’s research, which has appeared in the Journal of Marriage and Family, Journals of Gerontology, Demography, and Journal of Health and Social Behavior, examines the implications of family change in later life, emphasizing marriage, divorce, and cohabitation. His current projects examine cohabitors' relationship quality, well-being, and social relationships, with particular attention to those aged 50 and older. Another line of research investigates family attitudes in the U.S. and internationally and how they have changed over time. He also serves on department and university committees focused on faculty development, mentoring, policy, and tuition appeals.

Courses Taught

• SOC 1110: Sociology of Intimate Relationships
• SOC 3100: Gerontology
• SOC 3895: Social Statistics and Data Analysis
• SOC 4800: Sociology of Families

Research Interests

• Marriage, Cohabitation, and Divorce in Later Life
• Nonmarital Relationships
• Family Attitudes
• Family change

Recent Publications

Wright, Matthew R., Tatum A. Schwartz, Susan L. Brown, and Wendy D. Manning. 2023. “Income Pooling in Midlife: A Comparison of Remarried and Cohabiting Relationships.” Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 78: 1402-1411.

Wright, Matthew R., Susan L. Brown, and Wendy D. Manning. 2023. “A Cohort Comparison of Midlife Marital Quality: A Quarter Century of Change.” Journal of Family Issues 44: 538-559.

Wright, Matthew R. 2021. “Cohabitation.” Encyclopedia of Gerontology and Population Aging. Edited by Danan Gu and Matthew R. Dupre. Springer.

Wright, Matthew R. 2020. “Relationship Quality among Older Cohabitors: A Comparison to Remarrieds.” Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 75: 1808-1817.