Marriage and Cohabitation Midterm Review

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to the themes of marriage and cohabitation discussed in the lecture notes.

Cohabitation

A living arrangement in which an unmarried couple lives together in a long-term relationship that resembles a marriage.

Institutional Marriage

A type of marriage characterized by clear rules and roles, enforced by external institutions such as church and law.

Companionate Marriage

Marriage form that retains gender division of labor but emphasizes affection, friendship, and sexual gratification between spouses.

Individualization

The trend in modern marriage emphasizing personal fulfillment, self-development, and flexible roles.

Incomplete Institution

A term describing cohabitation as lacking established rules, rites, and expectations compared to marriage.

Pure Relationship

A relationship that exists for its own sake without the intent of moving to marriage.

Comparative Advantage in Marriage

The idea that spouses can specialize in different tasks to maximize household productivity.

Bargaining Model

A model of partnership that emphasizes income pooling and negotiation over resources and roles in a relationship.

Benefits of Marriage

Legal and social advantages gained from marriage, such as resource pooling, public commitment, and legal privileges.

Selection vs Causation

Debate regarding whether the observed benefits of marriage are due to the individuals who choose to marry (selection) or due to the institution of marriage itself (causation).