Family Diversity - cohabitation

Question 1

What is cohabitation?

Answer 1

-this involves an unmarried couple in a sexual relationship living together
-Cohabitation continues to increase in as the fastest growing families type in the UK
-In 2015 there were 3 million heterosexual couples cohabiting in the UK

Question 2

Why has cohabitation become more popular?

Answer 2

1. Decline in stigma attached to sex outside of marriage. In 1989 only 44% of people agreed that premarital sex was not wrong at all but by 2000 62% agreed.
2. Increased career opportunities for women mean that they have less need for financial security of marriage and free to opt for cohabitation.
3. Secularisation according to the 2001 census young people with no religion are more likely to cohabit than those with their religion.

Question 3

Why would some people argue that cohabitation is not an alternative to marriage

Answer 3

-for some couples cohabitation, it’s just a step on the way to getting married
-Chester says that for most cohabitation is part of the process of getting married
-for example, according to coast 75% of cohabiting couple say the expect to marry each
Other
-Many cohabitation as a trial marriage and intend to marry it goes well

Question 4

Why would some sociologists argue that cohabitation is an alternative to marriage?

Answer 4

-chandler disagrees with Chester arguing that many people see cohabitation as a permanent alternative to marriage
-Similarly Bejin argues that cohabitation among some young people represents a conscious attempt to create a more personal negotiated and equal relationship
-For example Shelton and John found women who co habit do less housework than their married counter parts

Question 5

Why would some people argue that cohabitation is harmful?

Answer 5

-The new right suggests that increased cohabitation is a sign of moral decline in the UK. Morgan believes that cohabiting couples are less happy and not as fulfilled as married to couples
-murphy believes that children born her cohabiting couples are more likely to underachieve at school.

Question 6

Why would some people argue that cohabiting couples aren’t harmful?

Answer 6

-Smart and Stevens suggest a couple who are cohabiting are ‘ testing the water’ and there’s a temporary phase or precursor to marriage
-They believe there were no less committed the married couples but appreciated the flexibility when the relationship didn’t work out