Chapter 8 – Marriage and Cohabitation Cont.Cohabitation: living together as a sexual or romantic couple without being marriedMarriage has become more and more select, people still want to be together so they cohabit Marriage declining and cohabitation inclining Figure 8.7– percentage of women ages 19-44 who have ever cohabitated by education (1987-2007)oCohabitation has increased for everyone – a lot less selectoA lot less variety in why people cohabit Figure 8.8– Relationship status 1,3, and 5 years from the start of a first cohabitationoDon’t really ever lastoAfter 3 years either end in marriage or dissolution 1.Cohabitation – before marriageoMost common form of cohabitationoSeen as acceptable stage in relationship process – a chance to practice marriageoSome couples may have plans to marry but never reach the economic goals they’ve set for marriageIf you cohabit before marriage you are at a greater risk for divorce – but recent data is showing that this isn’t true2.Cohabitation – instead of marriageoMost common among economically disadvantaged couplesoCouples have various reasons for choosing cohabitation over marriageOne partner wants to marry and the other doesn’t – so they compromise and cohabitUntil recently same sex couples fell into thisIf there are educational or racial/ ethnic differences between partners3.Cohabitation – after marriageoAmong older adults, cohabitation is becoming more common among those who have been widowed or divorcedoLess about testing viability of relationship before marriage and more about finding long-term substitute for marriage‘Maybe marriage isn’t necessary’Long term substitute for marriageThe Benefits of MarriageSome research indicates that individuals who are married are happier, healthier and have more wealth (obviously there are two incomes) that thosewho are not marriedoSelection