Cohabitation

Question 1

what is it?

Answer 1

unmarried couple in a relationship living together

Question 2

what are the trends?

Answer 2

two million cohabiting couples in Britain. 1/4 of unmarried couples live together- double from 1986

Question 3

reasons for the increase in cohabitation

Answer 3

decline in stigma, CPOW, secularisation

Question 4

decline in stigma

Answer 4

•increased cohabitation rates reflect the decline in stigma attached to sex outside marriage
•in 1989 only 44% of people agreed that premarital sex isnt wrong, 2012 went to 65%
•young are more likely to accept cohabitation 88% of 18-25 year olds thought cohabitation was ok. only 40% over 65 agreed

Question 5

CPOW

Answer 5

•increase career opportunities for women (breaking through glass ceiling) may also mean that they have less need for financial security of marriage and are free to opt for cohabitation - Liberal Fem

Question 6

secularisation

Answer 6

•according to the 2001 census young people with no religion were more likely to cohabit than those with religion

Question 7

Is cohabitation now used as an alternative to marriage?

Answer 7

NO - it’s a stepping stone
•cohabitation is just a step on the way to getting married
•most people cohabit as a process to getting married
• 75% of cohabiting couples say they expect to marry each other
•trial marriage- see if marriage goes well, will get married if have children.

Question 8

Is cohabitation now used as an alternative to marriage?

Answer 8

YES - it’s an alternative partnership
•many couples see cooperation as a permanent alternative to marriage
•cohabitation amongst young people represents an attempt to create a more personally and negotiated an equal relationship free from the patriarchal convention of marriage
•Shelton and John found that women who cohabit do less housework than their married counterparts