Marriage and Cohabitation

The Family: Diversity, Inequality, and Social Change

Marriage Happiness

  • Are Married People Happy?

    • Data suggests married people are generally happier than unmarried people.
    • Supportive relationships and companionship likely contribute to this happiness.
    • Happier individuals may be more likely to marry, build strong relationships, and maintain marriages.

  • Trends in Marital Happiness:

    • Since 1970, approximately 60% of married individuals report being "very happy."
    • Men tend to report higher marital happiness than women, on average.
    • Whites are the most likely demographic to report being very happy in their marriages.
    • Black women report the lowest average marital happiness.

Health and Wealth

  • Wealth and Marriage:

    • Wealthier individuals are more likely to marry.
    • Married individuals, on average, possess greater income, property, and education compared to unmarried individuals.

  • Selection Effect:

    • The selection effect is a problem that arises when the outcome under study has been predetermined by the cause. It can influence the observed relationships between marriage, wealth, and happiness.

Marriage Benefits

  • Sources of Marriage Benefits:
    • Behavioral changes/Responsibility: Marriage may encourage more responsible and stable behaviors.
    • Cooperation: Spouses can pool resources and efforts, leading to economic and social advantages.
    • Social status: Marriage often confers social legitimacy and benefits.

The Politics of Marriage

  • Welfare Policy:

    • Policies in the 1990s aimed to encourage marriage among poor women, but were unsuccessful.

  • Same-Sex Marriage:

    • The gay rights movement advocated for marriage equality.
    • Many states banned same-sex marriage; the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was passed in 1996.
    • In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned aspects of DOMA, requiring the federal government to recognize legal same-sex marriages performed in states that allowed it.
    • In 2015, the Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.

  • Public Opinion on Same-Sex Marriage:

    • Since 2012, a majority of Americans have supported the legal recognition of same-sex marriage, as shown in Figure 8.12.

Cohabitation

  • Definition:

    • Cohabitation is defined as living together as a sexual or romantic couple without being married.
    • Cohabitation arrangements can vary, with some couples having strong commitments, some being engaged, and some having children.
    • Cohabitation is not always a clearly defined status.

  • Prevalence:

    • Most Americans cohabit at some point in their lives.
    • Cohabitation relationships are usually not long-lasting.
    • Figure 8.8 shows relationship status after one, three, and five years from the start of a first cohabitation

  • Trends in Cohabitation:

    • Figure 8.7 shows that cohabitation rates have increased significantly, particularly among those with less education.

Types of Cohabitation

  • Before marriage:

    • The most common form of cohabitation, serving as a proving ground for the relationship or a deliberate delay of marriage.

  • Instead of marriage:

    • Temporary or permanent alternative to marriage, due to opposition to marriage, exclusion from traditional marriage, or compromise between partners.

  • After marriage:

    • Increasingly common among older adults who are divorced or widowed.
    • Older people may choose to cohabit to protect their assets.