cohabitation Flashcards
what is cohabitation?
the state of living together and having a sexual relationship without being married.
is cohabitation increasing?
Cohabitating couples with children are a fast-growing family type.
In 2013 1.9 million heterosexual couples were cohabiting with children. This has increased by 5% over 10 years.
The number of heterosexual cohabiting couple families has increased significantly, from 2.2 million in 2003 to 2.9 million in 2013.
1 in 8 adults are now cohabitating – double the number in 1996.
1/5 of those who cohabit are ‘serial cohabiters’.
why is there an increase in cohabitation?
secularisation - Young people who aren’t religious are more likely to cohabitate than those who are religious.
Increased career opportunities for women
Women no longer have to be financially reliant on a man for money, so they are less likely to marry and have the option to cohabitate.
Decline in stigma attached to sex outside of marriage.
1989 44% said sex outside of marriage was fine.
This has rose to 65% in 2012.
Young people are more likely to cohabitate than marry
is there a relationship between cohabitation and marriage?
For some people cohabitation is just a step on the way to marriage.
However, for some people cohabitation is a permanent alternative to marriage.
Cohabitation does not mean the same thing to everyone!
what do many people see cohabitation as?
Many see cohabitation as a trial marriage and intend to marry if cohabiting goes well.
Cohabitation is thus temporary for some people.
Chester argues, for most people cohabitation is apart of the process of getting married.
Coast (2006) – 75% of cohabitating couples say they expect to marry each other.
is cohabitation an alternative solution to marriage?
Not all cohabitating couples want to get married. For some people cohabitation is a permanent alternative to marriage.
Bejin (1985) – young people choose to cohabit in an attempt to create an equal relationship in comparison to the patriarchal institution marriage – link to the symmetrical family.
Shelton and John (1993) found that women who cohabit do less housework than married women – link to the domestic division of labour.
