What does research on pre-marital cohabitation suggest?
1 Answer
Relationships are not defined by legalities.
Explanation:
There are many different avenues of research on pre-marital cohabitation. The most prevalent is whether or not such arrangements "strengthen" a marriage. In this case "strength" is defined as duration.
While the existence of a legal obligation and the effort required to obtain a divorce may delay or even prevent a marital dissolution, it is in no way a major factor in marital conceptions in the United States.
Cohabitation in this context may be considered as "marriage without legal obligation" (although common law in some jurisdictions may impact that). The relative ease of discontinuing such an arrangement may make it appear that it "saved" a "bad marriage". In fact, couples form healthy and lasting relationships of any degree of intimacy whether or not a legal obligation is imposed.
Similarly, those who cannot or will not maintain such a relationship are not deterred by legal issues. Thus, the definition of marriage as only a legal issue is problematic.
