The Role of Cohabitation in Declining Rates of Marriage.

We compare trends in marriage and remarriage to trends in these variables when cohabitation is included and examine education differences in the rise of cohabitation [in the United States]. We then document the characteristics of cohabiting couples in terms of the duration of the union presence of children perceived stability marriage plans and opinions about cohabitation. Finally we analyze several marriage-related attitude items among all unmarried persons under age 35....Attitudes concerning cohabitation and marriage suggest that while most expect to marry normative pressures toward marriage are not very high....The picture that is emerging is that cohabitation is very much a family status but one in which levels of certainty about the relationship are lower than in marriage. Data are from the National Survey of Families and Households conducted in 1987-1988. (EXCERPT)