Cohabitation Essay
explanatory Essay
1058 words
Marriage and cohabitation play a central role in how family life is carried out. The way in which society views marriage and cohabitation is changing as individualism becomes an increasingly mainstream ideal. Marriage rates have decreased significantly on average over the past 60 years, but different groups show different rates of change. While certain sects each have their views, the general trends are showing decreasing marriage rates in lower income individuals, and increasing marriage rates in higher income educated individuals. These rates are directly connected to racial-ethnic groups, leading to larger gaps in socioeconomic status. As we know, income often is related to race and ethnicity. According to Figure 8.5 in Cohen (2015:273), …show more content…
In this essay, the author
- Explains that marriage and cohabitation play a central role in how family life is carried out. marriage rates have decreased significantly on average over the past 60 years, but different groups show different rates of change.
- Explains that income often is related to race and ethnicity. the inequality between races continues to grow because wealthy white couples bring in more income, while lower income individuals cannot support a family.
- Explains that cohabitation is a popular alternative to marriage becoming increasingly popular in recent years.
- Explains that couples who cohabitate prior to marriage are more likely to fall carelessly into a marriage or longer relationship. this type of cohabitation is common among lower-class couples.
- Explains that some people choose cohabitation instead of marriage, with no intention of marrying unless an external factor changes. this may be due to ideological opposition or family opposition.
- Explains that divorced or widowed people want companionship or financial stability, but are not looking for the risk or commitment of marriage. women outnumber men due to average age of death.
- Opines that they are ideologically opposed to the concept of marriage. they feel that relying heavily on one individual for these things is unrealistic.
- Opines that even cohabitation is a major commitment. they feel the need to have individual space, and would have hard time committing to sharing an apartment, or sharing certain financial burdens.
- Opines that too much time spent with any one person will lead to suffocation of certain traits which make an individual.
- Opines that as a privileged white individual who plans to be well-educated and wealthy, they believe their value will be high on the marriage market.
This may be due to ideological opposition, family opposition, religious opposition, or societal condemnation due to differences in race, religion, gender or class. Sometimes it is also the case where one partner is interested in marriage, and the other is opposed due to one of the above factors. Finally, another common version of cohabitation is after-marriage cohabitation. People who have become divorced or widowed are often older individuals who want companionship or financial stability, but are not looking for the risk or commitment of marriage. At these older ages, women outnumber men due to average age of death. In this case, men are less motivated to risk a marriage, so women are often forced to compromise with cohabitation. Regardless, men and women seem to benefit from the companionship in the later years of life, especially after years of having a partner in …show more content…
I feel the need to have individual space, and would have a hard time committing to sharing a bedroom, apartment, or sharing certain financial burdens with a romantic partner. It seems like a more reasonable option than marriage, because I do not feel a binding commitment by law, but it would still require a lot of consideration before it happened for me. My parents and family would like me to have a family of my own, and they believe I will. I understand their hopes and perhaps my views will change, but the pressure coming from my family will not sway my core values of
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- opinion
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- The History of Marriage and Family is Changingopinion essayMaclean's reports that such living arrangements used to be considered lower class but new statistics reveal that these so-called common law marriages are much more widespread (Maclean’s 14). The number of couples living together in Canada, without benefit of marriage, almost tripled between 1981 and 1995 (14). Some suggest that the increase is attributable to the fact that the arrangement has much less of a stigma attached now (14). The reason that the stigma is lessened is due to the fact that the current people in their twenties have parents who have also cohabited before marriage. This is the first time that this phenomenon has occurred as the boomers began the loosening of sexual mores in the society during the turbulent sixties. While it is true that living together is more acceptable, it is far from widely acceptable in the still rigid American culture.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the history of marriage and family has changed from puritanical beliefs that said people had to have a license to live together.
- Explains that marriage has been linked with white wedding dresses and three tiered whipped cream cakes, but it has also broached the question of whether or not the committed couple should live together before the big wedding day.
- Explains that the number of couples living together in canada, without benefit of marriage, almost tripled between 1981 and 1995. the stigma is lessened due to the current people in their twenties having parents who also cohabited before marriage.
- Explains that the divorce rate doubled during the period from 1960 to 1980. studies show that divorce was most common in the second year of marriage.
- Opines that living together may have an effect on an impending marriage, but the obvious effect would be that the couple realizes that they are not right for each other and would not marry at all.
- Explains that the number of children living in families with married couples declined from 88% in 1960 to 69% in 1994. divorce does explain the drop, but may be attributed to the rise in nonmarital childbearing.
- Opines that living together for practical reasons, such as sharing expenses, shouldn't negatively affect the future marriage. however, a religious reservation and personal guilt could put additional strife on the union
- Analyzes the reasons why people move in together, such as less marriage and more out-of-wedlock babies being born in poorer communities.
- Explains smith's suggestion that marriage can increase family wealth. the household division of labor implies that the total product of a married couple is larger than the sum of the outputs of each.
- Opines that marriage is a cause and consequence of economic, cultural, and psychological stratification in american society.
- Opines that long-distance relationships are an issue that needs to be brought up in terms of cohabitation and marriage. some couples choose to stay married but not cohabit.
- Opines that living apart can tear a marriage apart. marriage institutionalizes the obligations of both parents to raise children.
1517 wordsRead More - Marriage And Cohabitation Essayanalytical essayThroughout the years, societies view on marriage and cohabitation has been changing, especially from the 1950s up until now. Marriage and cohabitation are in relation to social location, education, immigration and social class. In addition, these changes are influenced through socialization and their surrounding environments as people’s beliefs and expectations vary from what a defined family really is. Same-sex couples are now getting married and the divorce rate is on the rise, including non-married couples raising children. Most importantly, each individual determines who they marry or whom they share their love with through conditioning or in the course of shared similarities. People have dissimilar values, beliefs and attitudes and throughout the life course may change again, including the future generations. This paper reviews why marriage is on the decline and cohabitation is now the accepted social norm, including other aspects such as specific rights that couples have over others in the past. Religion is a powerful tool that alters minds of those who are affiliated with it. As a result, their beliefs are conditioned and marriage is valued differently than those who are not married. All in all this paper will further explain the change, continuity and
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how society's view on marriage and cohabitation has changed from the 1950s up until now. they explain the change, continuity, and diversity in marriage.
- Explains the changes in family formation and disruption have transformed in the modern communities. people cohabit, bear children outside marriage, encounter divorce, re-marry, live separate lives with their offspring or remain childless.
- Explains that the nuclear family was the most suitable family structure for industrialized communities, but it is now on the decline across the world societies.
- Explains that personal life courses are progressively heterogeneous, with the form, or greater visibility, of "new" kinds of family structures like large multi-generational households, one parent families, same sex relationships and living-apart-together.
- Explains that according to ciabattari, there are three types of marriage: institutional, companionate and individualized. institutional relation to marriage was based on economic necessity, obligation, and social regulation.
- Explains that the rise in cohabitation is one of the key dynamic in family course that advanced societies seen in the recent years.
795 wordsRead More - Changing Families, Weakening Bondsanalytical essayAt the core of every marriage is family, family structure, and family values. These values are passed down from generation to generation. However in recent years the standard North American family has shifted. With the increase in divorce and cohabitation; marriage is not the only space in which a family/ children can be raised. With the rise in divorce, there has been in an increase in the number of step-families in the American society. Equally as important, with the recent change in laws, most couple decide to cohabitate. Both step parents and cohabiting parents challenge the institution of marriage; thus, forcing society to form new ways of defining family.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the standard north american family has shifted with the increase in divorce and cohabitation.
- Explains that cohabitation is an arrangement where two or more people who are not married live together in an emotionally and sexually intimate relationship on a long term or permanent basis.
- Argues that children growing up in stepfamilies have a greater risk of developing parent mental health issues, family conflict, and economic and social stress.
- Compares cohabitation to married stepfamilies and argues that cohabiting families tend not to share parental responsibilities and parental roles are unclear and undefined.
- Explains that while cohabiting families and stepfamilies have significant differences both children face many of the same obstacles. remarriage is very common in the united states; however, divorce is still likely to occur in second marriages due to children.
- Concludes that stepparents offer a more stable environment for children to be raised, while cohabiting parents don't share financial obligations or parental responsibilities.
- Explains dunn, j., "the adjustment of children in stepfamilies: lessons from community studies." child & adolescent mental health, 7(4), 154-161.
- Explains jensen, t. m., and shafer, k. stepfamily functioning and closeness: children's views on second marriages and stepfather relationships.
- Analyzes the impact of new data from the current population survey on cohabitation and family structure in the united states.
- Explains suanet, van, d. p., and van tilburg, t. g. who is in the stepfamily? change in stepparents' family boundaries between 1992 and 2009.
- Explains sweeney, m.m., "remarriage and stepfamilies: strategic sites for family scholarship in the 21st century." journal of marriage & family 72(3), 667-684.
- Analyzes thomson, e., and mclanahan's reflections on family structure and child well-being: economic resources vs. parental socialization.
- Cites troilo, j. (2011). stepfamilies and the law: legal ambiguities and suggestions for reform.
- Cites turunen, j. family structure, gender, and adolescent emotional well-being. journal of divorce & remarriage.
1263 wordsRead More - Cohabitation and its Effect on Marital Stability in the USanalytical essayBumpass LL, Sweet JA, Cherlin A. 1991. The role of cohabitation in declining rates of marriage. Demography 53:913 27
In this essay, the author
- Explains that premarital cohabitation tends to be associated with lower marital quality and to increase the risk of divorce, even after taking into account variables known as divorce.
- Analyzes bumpass ll, sweet ja, and cherlin a. the role of cohabitation in declining rates of marriage.
- Analyzes how cohabitation has become a major barrier to marital stability in the united states.
- Argues that cohabitation is either an experimental stage in the marriage process or a substitute for marriage.
- Cites axinn wg, thornton a. 1993, mothers, children, and cohabitation: the intergenerational effects of attitudes and behavior.
- Explains manning wd, smock pj, nock sl, rindfuss rr, vandenheuvel a. 1990. cohabitation: a precursor to marriage or an alternative to being single?
1723 wordsRead More - I Wish They D Do It Right Analysisanalytical essayIn her essay “I Wish They’d Do It Right”, Jane Doe highlights her ideology that marriage is honorable and legitimate, yet cohabitation is unacceptable and “socially awkward” (222). Doe illustrates her disagreement with her son’s decision of living in cohabitation, and tries to persuade him into marriage based on what the whole family will say or on society’s judgment. Doe argues that a marriage will create economical benefits between her son and his “girlfriend”, and provide a sense of stability for her soon-to-be grandson. However, it is noticeable that Doe’s views on marriage are based on her family and societies negative judgment on cohabitation, and the social acceptance of a traditional marriage. Based on my parents’ divorce, I disagree with Doe’s argument that marriage is always beneficial, real, and can guarantee a “happily ever after” (223); however, cohabitation can be as sincere, genuine, and exclusive as a marriage. I believe marriage should be based on the couple’s feelings and their readiness on taking the next step, instead of it being based on family and society’s opinion.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes jane doe's essay, "i wish they'd do it right", which highlights her ideology that marriage is honorable and legitimate, yet cohabitation is unacceptable and "socially awkward."
- Analyzes how doe asserts that her son has lived in cohabitation for seven years without the "benefit of license," which has deprived him and his girlfriend from economic benefits.
- Analyzes how doe portrays the negative effect her son and his “girlfriend” will have on her soon-to-be grandson due to not being legitimate.
- Opines that doe is wrong when she states that children with divorced parents "will not suffer greater damage".
- Analyzes linda j. waite's essay "the negative effects of cohabitation" to confirm doe’s argument that cohabitation is often a mistake committed by many couples.
- Explains that one of their cousins married because she believed it would make her relationship exclusive, but her desire to live in monogamy was not granted. their brother lives in cohabitation with his significant other.
- Opines that marriage is not for everyone in their family, which leads to heartbreaking breakups and divorces. they would marry their significant other even if he were not wealthy or did not benefit them financially.
- Explains that cohabitation offers the advantage of getting to know a person and understanding one another without being married. married love should be honored and not used for oneself.
1223 wordsRead More - Analysis Of The Changing American Familyanalytical essayAccording to the author of “The Changing American Family”, the divorce rate “began falling in 1996 and is now just above 40 percent for first-time marriages” (Angier). Author of a The Atlantic’s article on marriage, Gillian White, agrees with both Kimmel and Angier. White uses the results of a recent Allstate/National Journal Heartland Monitor poll, where seventy-four percent of the participants “felt that marriage was still relevant and led to a happier, healthier, more fulfilled life” (White). This means that marriage is still a valuable institution even if its traditions have changed in the past few decades. The poll’s results show that more than the sixty percent of the participants agreed that “the ages of 25 to 30 were optimal for tying the knot” (White). One of the reasons to delay marriage is the economic situation of the country and the uncertainty of financial security once married. The rising cost of living makes it difficult for one person to live on their own, picture it with someone else. Nonetheless, Americans are still eager “to have stable, long-lasting relationships and families”
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the american family experienced radical changes in its styles and shapes that empowered society to create the ideal roles for each family member and impose them as a utopia family.
- Explains that divorce rates are roughly the same as they have been for a long time. the atlantic's gillian white agrees with kimmel and angier.
- Explains that the american family has always been trying to adapt to the economic, social, and cultural changes the best it can. however, society is still fighting against the new family structures and roles.
- Analyzes how the 1950s family model is a mythic model that has nothing to do with reality.
- Explains that the american family is stronger than ever and more open to different definitions, structures, and family roles.
1148 wordsRead More - The Rise Of Traditional Family Structures In The American Familyanalytical essayIt is often stated that the divorce rate in America is on the rise, though some of the available research shows that divorce rates have not been rising over the last twenty years (New York Times, 2014). Those who provide evidence that divorce is on the decline still agree that remarriage statistics are rising. According to PEW’s research, 15% of children are living with two parents who are living in remarriage. Along with that, American’s who are at the age of traditional marriage are getting married later in life, or even forgoing marriage altogether. 34% of children today are living with an unmarried parent, 4% of which are living with cohabiting parents and 30% living with a single parent (PEW, 2014). With the rise of younger pregnancies and financial problems from the recent recession, 5% children are not living with either parent, most of which live with their grandparents. Families that are made up of two parents
In this essay, the author
- Explains that in the 1960s, almost 75% of american children lived in a traditional family, with two married heterosexual parents who were in their first marriage.
- Explains that divorce rates in america are on the rise, though some research shows that remarriage statistics are rising.
- Analyzes how the utilitarianism theory assumes that people pursue their interests, but it is less clear whether the pursuit of interests leads to the rise of nontraditional families have a widespread societal benefit. homans believes the interactions within social groups result in the culture and what norms are enforced.
- Argues that the rise of lgbt marriage and families has been a major change from america's accepted definitions on relationships and family.
- Explains that the conflict perspective also finds a problem with the changing norms, though not for the same reason as the rational perspective.
1112 wordsRead More - Cohabitation Vs. Marital Unionscomparative essayAccording to Clarkberg, Stolzenberg and Waite, from the University of Chicago, cohabitation is preferred over marriage by a specific group of people defined through their preferences in certain attitudes and values. According to this study, people chose to enter into either marriage or cohabitation depending on their views on procreation and relationships. However, the article also includes a study of peoples choice relying on views towards leisure time allotment, household labor division, employment, economic resources and relationships with immediate and extended family as well as with religion.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that clarkberg, stolzenberg and waite, from the university of chicago, prefer cohabitation over marriage based on their views on procreation and relationships.
- Explains that couples inter into cohabitation because it allows them to postpone their entrance into traditional gender-specific marital roles in a family environment.
- Explains that career and work is a high correlation variable in this study. men who don't believe in steady jobs or are less successful at work are more likely to enter into cohabitation unions.
- Explains that leisure time allotment increased the probability of men entering into cohabitation rather than marriage from 33% to 53%.
- Concludes that both men and women like to be in a union, but many find marriage too restrictive and prefer informal means of being with their loved ones.
390 wordsRead More - Marriage And Love Marriageexplanatory essayEducation seems to have a big impact on marriage in present times more than it had in the past. In the article “The Marriage Crisis” the author Aja Gabel, talks about why marriage rates are dropping and divorce rates have increased since the 1900’s. The article also stated that cohabitation is on the rise. Today there are people living together outside of marriage and children. A recent study that was held at Pew Research Center found
In this essay, the author
- Explains that marriage and divorce changed a lot over the years due to many reasons. education, financial security, child marriage, arranged vs. love marriage are all factors that have affected marriage.
- Argues that education has a big impact on marriage in present times more than it had in the past.
- Quotes katey troutman's article, "marriage statistics: are americans giving up on marriage?" and states that married couples live happier lives than single people.
- Explains that one in five americans have never been married, which is a huge difference from the 1960's, when only 1 in 10 adults would not get married.
- Explains that love marriage is more present than arranged marriages, but it is still more successful.
- Explains that child marriage is occurring in many parts of the world to this day and it is going unseen.
- Explains that parents leave their daughters alone at home and pay a smaller dowry if they are under 18, as the groom's family demands more in cash and kind for an adult bride.
- Explains that marriage has changed a lot over the years. people are starting to be more independent, rather than being dependent on their spouses.
1772 wordsRead More - The Risks of Premarital Cohabitationexplanatory essayIt is not a new thought that today’s young Americans are facing issues, problems and difficult decisions that past generations never had to question. In a world of technology, media, and a rough economy, many young adults in America are influenced by a tidal wave of opinions and life choices without much relevant advice from older generations. The Generation Y, or Millennial, group are coming of age in a confusing and mixed-message society. One of these messages that bombard young Americans is the choice of premarital cohabitation. Premarital cohabitation, or living together without being married (Jose, O’Leary & Moyer, 2010), has increased significantly in the past couple of decades and is now a “natural” life choice before taking the plunge into marriage. Kennedy and Bumpass (2008) state that, “The increase in cohabitation is well documented,such that nearly two thirds of newlyweds have cohabited prior to their first marriage”(as cited in Harvey, 2011, p. 10), this is a striking contrast compared with statistics of our grandparents, or even parents, generations. It is such an increasing social behavior that people in society consider cohabitation “necessary” before entering into marriage. Even more, young Americans who choose not to cohabitate, for many different reasons, are looked upon as being “old-fashioned”, “naive”, or “unintelligent”. This pressure for young people to cohabitate before marriage is a serious “modern-day” challenge; especially when given research that states, “... most empirical studies find that couples who cohabited prior to marriage experience significantly higher odds of marital dissolution than their counterparts who did not cohabit before marriage”, stated by Jose (2010) and colleagues (as c...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that young americans are influenced by a tidal wave of opinions and life choices without much relevant advice from older generations. premarital cohabitation has increased significantly in the past couple of decades.
- Explains that premarital cohabiting individuals view cohabitation as the "safe" choice without realizing that many are setting their relationship's up for failure.
- Explains that premarital cohabitating couples in the united states plan on getting married within a five year time frame, with 44% ending their relationship within five years.
- Explains that demographics, such as age, economic and educational levels, are taken into consideration when examining couples, and the outcome and quality of their relationship. scholars have distinguished two likely explanations for why cohabitation doesn't end in successful and high quality marriages.
- Explains the selection effect, which means that individuals come into a relationship with certain qualities and beliefs about relationships that may prove dysfunctional with time.
- Explains that the cohabitation effect, or the experience explanation, is the only behavior of living together before marriage that has a negative effect on individuals psych and attitude toward their partner and their relationship.
- Explains that not all people are affected in the same positive or negative ways when cohabiting. age, maturity, length of relationship before and during cohabitation, upbringing, economic and educational levels, all play a factor.
- Explains that cohabitation is more common among those of lower educational and income levels, according to "the state of our union project".
- Opines that young people's money saving strategy is a benefit, basing their cohabitation, and the stresses that come with it, on monetary value.
- Explains that low economic status coupled with cohabitation results in a two in three greater chance of having children. monetary stressors, magnified due to the poor economy, encourage premarital cohabitation, but this decision tends to create new relational issues.
- Explains that premarital cohabitation continues for many reasons and effects individuals in different ways, but four possible reasons have emerged from scholarly research that suggest that the current american society is to blame.
- Explains that popular shows such as "friends" and "new girl" paint an exciting and romantic picture of premarital cohabitation and sexual activity for film goers.
- Explains that the media's number one concern is to create audiences and to sell their product and in doing so influence and create culture.
- Analyzes leon festinger's cognitive dissonance theory, which states that people have an 'aversive drive' that causes people to avoid opposing viewpoints, seek reassurance, and change private beliefs to match public behavior.
- Explains that americans are losing or turning away from religious practices, citing pew forum's u.s. religious landscape survey.
- Argues that loss of religion in america has influenced the growth of cohabitation.
- Explains that children of divorced parents have a higher chance of premarital cohabitation in their lives. many millennials saw their parent’s relationships end in divorce before the age of twenty.
- Explains that the social exchange theory, introduced by albert bandura, is defined as the role of observation and the mimicking or imitating of behaviors observed in others.
- Explains that divorced children are more likely to cohabitate before marriage. however, cohabitation is not an effective way to increase your odds of success in marriage and may even increase the chances of eventual divorce.
- Explains that american society has been infiltrated with the lie that "premarital cohabitation is the safe decision". the pressure that non-cohabitating individuals feel increases the percentage of cohabitors.
- Explains that the nuclear family's structure has disintegrated and been reshaped into an unstable relational environment. premarital cohabitation results in higher rates of marriage dissolution.
- Recommends self-assessing personal cohabitation decisions and expose the lie.
- Opines that to expose the lie means to accept scholarly research that strongly discourages premarital cohabitation. it is easy for individuals to talk themselves into behaviors or life choices that are not good decisions.
- Cites bandura, a., crowther, l. and friedinger's cognitive dissonance theory.
- Cites gerbner, g., and hardy, m. on the effects of media on children.
- Explains the possible consequences of divorce for children. utah divorce orientation, utah state university.
- Cites manning, cohen, and mccombs, m. (2012). premarital cohabitation and marital dissolution.
- Explains pew forum's u.s. religious landscape survey.
- Cites thornton, a. department of health and human services. attitudes, values andnorms related to nonmarital fertility.
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