Cohabitation

Family Diversity Unit 1 Exam

cohabitation

ties of mutual consent & assume responsibilities for family functions

cohabitation associated with…

more negative outcomes for adults, poorer relationship success, & increase risk for divorce

cohabitation effect

premarital cohabitation greater risk for poorer marital success

inertia effect

moving in propels relationship forward, some couples end up marrying that might not have if they didn't live together

sliding

reasons for cohabitation are ambiguous

causal effect

Experience of cohabitation causes the chances of marital success to decline because cohabitation changes people’s attitudes, behavior, or both

selection effect

People who cohabit are fundamentally different than those who chose not to; these differences cause poor marital success

serious dating relationships, trial marriage, precursor to marraige, substitute for marriage

types of cohabitors

If reasons for cohabiting are incongruent…

More disagreements & negative conflict communication

Reason for cohabting is testing the relationships…

more negative endings, well-being, & relationship qualities​

Reason for cohabiting is wanting to spend more time together…

Not associated – more problems​; greater relationship confidence & dedication commitment ​

weeding hypothesis

cohabitors who are contemplating marriage and testing compatlibility

cohabitors who are testing the relationship…

are more at risk for inertia effect & more negatives outcomes

cross-sectional

picture; different individuals at one point in time

longitudinal

movie; same individuals over time, multiple points of measurement

women more likely to cohabit

women with less than HS degree, 76%

Higher SES cohabitors…

more likely their cohabitations lead to marriage​

Lower SES cohabitors…

more likely their cohabitation leads to relationship dissolution

Children of cohabitors experience…

3x more family trasnitions

Cohabiting has higher risk for…

family instability which negatively affects children’s outcomes

family transitions associated with…

delinquency, drug use, depressive symptoms, earlier age at first sex, teenage motherhood, lower school engagement, poorer grades, lower graduation rates

1/3 of children with cohabiting parents…

have family instability by age 12

66%

couples who have lived together before marriage

cohabiting couples

9 mil

65%

women who have ever cohabited; doubled over 25 yrs