SOC 220 EXAM 2 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What is the definition of cohabitation? - Answer -Living with a romantic partner outside
of marriage
What is the history of cohabitation research from the 1960s to the 1990s? - Answer -
Gained momentum in the 1960's after the momentum of the birth control pill. "When you
are living with your romantic partner you are telling the world you're having sex with
them"
Once we became more accepting of people having sex outside of marriage, it became
acceptable to cohabit with your unmarried romantic partner.
Early 1980s - researchers examined small,non-representative samples. Most
researchers were college professors which meant most research was done with college
students as the sample. It seemed like cohabiting was a college student "problem"
because of the data was non-representative.
In 1990s - nationally representative data became available. Direct measurements
became available.
What are the trends or patterns of cohabitation? - Answer -Cohabitation Trends and
Patterns:
Risen dramatically in only two decades
Not a college student phenomenon: affects individuals of all ages
Short lived experience: Cohabiting is either a stepping stone to marriage or a stepping
stone to a breakup.
Not a childless state: around 45% do involve children whether they had a child together
or a child from a previous relationship.
Less likely to lead to marriage than in the past
Credited with some of the decline in divorce because it's weeding out the relationships
that aren't going to work out before marriage.
Leads to a decoupling of marriage and childbearing. (Inclusionists would consider this a
family unit, exclusionists would not since its moving away from traditional marriage -
showing an erosion of family values)
What are the reasons people choose to cohabit? - Answer -More people live together
with their partners before they get married or as an alternative to marriage.
Why do we care about cohabitation research? - Answer -As a pathway to marriage
What does the past and present research tell about the relationship between
cohabitation and divorce? How has this finding changed over time? - Answer -If you
cohabit you likely have a decreased attachment to belief that marriage is a life-long
commitment, decreased attachment to the importance of child rearing in marriage,
increased acceptability of divroce, cohabitation itself makes people more prone to
divroce not their socio-demographic characteristics.
, What is the difference between cohabitation selection and cohabitation experience and
how do both explain the relationship between cohabitation and divorce? - Answer -The
selection approach argues that the same characteristics that predict cohabitation are
associated with marital dissolution.
The second and related explanation for the cohabitation effect is that the cohabitation
experience itself is tied to a waning commitment to marriage.
How does the engagement fit into the research on cohabitation and divorce? (Manning
& Cohen, 2012) - Answer -Couples Who Cohabit Before Engagement Are More Likely
To Struggle
Explain the theory of Sliding vs. Deciding. Who are sliders? Who are deciders? -
Answer -Sliding - natural progression of relationship - move in together (ie; couple
dates, staying over one night, staying over 2-3 nights a week, leaving a toothbrush
there, having a drawer, well your lease is up you should just move in)
deciding - we decided we're going to move in together. (conscious decision)
What is dedication and constraint commitment? Relationship inertia? (Stanley et al.,
2006) - Answer -Inertia in cohabiting couples occurs because living together imposes
constraints on a relationship (a shared lease, etc.) that make relationships harder to
end. Constrained commitment - ie; can't move out because when i moved in with you I
sold my bed and couch and can't afford to buy a new bed/couch so they stay in
unhappy relationships.
Overall, what can we conclude from cohabitation research? - Answer -New research:
No relationship between cohabitation and divorce. (nationally representative sample)
Three Groups:
Engaged Cohabitors
Non-Engaged Cohabitors
Non-Cohabitors (Got married without living together first.
Engaged and non-cohabitors have lower odds of divorce than engaged-cohabitors
How has technology changed dating and the formation of intimate relationships? -
Answer -People are able to meet romantic partners online and go through the screening
process of potential partners from behind a screen.
What does the study of dating sites reveal about race in mating patterns? - Answer -We
mate with people who are similar to us. It hasn't expanded our dating pool as much as
you might think. We look for people with similar education levels, backgrounds,
religions, and often even same race online.
What is the definition of cohabitation? - Answer -Living with a romantic partner outside
of marriage
What is the history of cohabitation research from the 1960s to the 1990s? - Answer -
Gained momentum in the 1960's after the momentum of the birth control pill. "When you
are living with your romantic partner you are telling the world you're having sex with
them"
Once we became more accepting of people having sex outside of marriage, it became
acceptable to cohabit with your unmarried romantic partner.
Early 1980s - researchers examined small,non-representative samples. Most
researchers were college professors which meant most research was done with college
students as the sample. It seemed like cohabiting was a college student "problem"
because of the data was non-representative.
In 1990s - nationally representative data became available. Direct measurements
became available.
What are the trends or patterns of cohabitation? - Answer -Cohabitation Trends and
Patterns:
Risen dramatically in only two decades
Not a college student phenomenon: affects individuals of all ages
Short lived experience: Cohabiting is either a stepping stone to marriage or a stepping
stone to a breakup.
Not a childless state: around 45% do involve children whether they had a child together
or a child from a previous relationship.
Less likely to lead to marriage than in the past
Credited with some of the decline in divorce because it's weeding out the relationships
that aren't going to work out before marriage.
Leads to a decoupling of marriage and childbearing. (Inclusionists would consider this a
family unit, exclusionists would not since its moving away from traditional marriage -
showing an erosion of family values)
What are the reasons people choose to cohabit? - Answer -More people live together
with their partners before they get married or as an alternative to marriage.
Why do we care about cohabitation research? - Answer -As a pathway to marriage
What does the past and present research tell about the relationship between
cohabitation and divorce? How has this finding changed over time? - Answer -If you
cohabit you likely have a decreased attachment to belief that marriage is a life-long
commitment, decreased attachment to the importance of child rearing in marriage,
increased acceptability of divroce, cohabitation itself makes people more prone to
divroce not their socio-demographic characteristics.
, What is the difference between cohabitation selection and cohabitation experience and
how do both explain the relationship between cohabitation and divorce? - Answer -The
selection approach argues that the same characteristics that predict cohabitation are
associated with marital dissolution.
The second and related explanation for the cohabitation effect is that the cohabitation
experience itself is tied to a waning commitment to marriage.
How does the engagement fit into the research on cohabitation and divorce? (Manning
& Cohen, 2012) - Answer -Couples Who Cohabit Before Engagement Are More Likely
To Struggle
Explain the theory of Sliding vs. Deciding. Who are sliders? Who are deciders? -
Answer -Sliding - natural progression of relationship - move in together (ie; couple
dates, staying over one night, staying over 2-3 nights a week, leaving a toothbrush
there, having a drawer, well your lease is up you should just move in)
deciding - we decided we're going to move in together. (conscious decision)
What is dedication and constraint commitment? Relationship inertia? (Stanley et al.,
2006) - Answer -Inertia in cohabiting couples occurs because living together imposes
constraints on a relationship (a shared lease, etc.) that make relationships harder to
end. Constrained commitment - ie; can't move out because when i moved in with you I
sold my bed and couch and can't afford to buy a new bed/couch so they stay in
unhappy relationships.
Overall, what can we conclude from cohabitation research? - Answer -New research:
No relationship between cohabitation and divorce. (nationally representative sample)
Three Groups:
Engaged Cohabitors
Non-Engaged Cohabitors
Non-Cohabitors (Got married without living together first.
Engaged and non-cohabitors have lower odds of divorce than engaged-cohabitors
How has technology changed dating and the formation of intimate relationships? -
Answer -People are able to meet romantic partners online and go through the screening
process of potential partners from behind a screen.
What does the study of dating sites reveal about race in mating patterns? - Answer -We
mate with people who are similar to us. It hasn't expanded our dating pool as much as
you might think. We look for people with similar education levels, backgrounds,
religions, and often even same race online.
