Marriage and separation risks among German cohabiters: Differences between types of cohabiter

TY - JOUR

T1 - Marriage and separation risks among German cohabiters: Differences between types of cohabiter

AU - Hiekel, N.

AU - Liefbroer, A.C.

AU - Poortman, A.

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - We propose a typology of different meanings of cohabitation that combines cohabiters’ intentions to marry with a general attitude toward marriage, using competing risk analyses to examine whether some cohabiters are more prone than others to marry or to separate. Using data (N = 1,258) from four waves of the German Family Panel (PAIRFAM) and a supplementary study (DEMODIFF), we compared eastern and western German cohabiters of the birth cohorts 1971–73 and 1981–83. Western Germans more frequently view cohabitation as a step in the marriage process, whereas eastern Germans more often cohabit as an alternative to marriage. Taking into account marital attitudes reveals that cohabiters without marriage plans differ from those with plans in their relationship careers, and also shows that cohabiters who plan to marry despite holding a less favourable view of marriage are less likely to realize their plans than cohabiters whose intentions and attitudes are more congruent.

AB - We propose a typology of different meanings of cohabitation that combines cohabiters’ intentions to marry with a general attitude toward marriage, using competing risk analyses to examine whether some cohabiters are more prone than others to marry or to separate. Using data (N = 1,258) from four waves of the German Family Panel (PAIRFAM) and a supplementary study (DEMODIFF), we compared eastern and western German cohabiters of the birth cohorts 1971–73 and 1981–83. Western Germans more frequently view cohabitation as a step in the marriage process, whereas eastern Germans more often cohabit as an alternative to marriage. Taking into account marital attitudes reveals that cohabiters without marriage plans differ from those with plans in their relationship careers, and also shows that cohabiters who plan to marry despite holding a less favourable view of marriage are less likely to realize their plans than cohabiters whose intentions and attitudes are more congruent.

KW - ssci

KW - consensual union

KW - marriage

KW - separation

KW - longitudinal studies

KW - event history analysis

KW - Germany

KW - cross-cultural comparisons

KW - family demography

U2 - 10.1080/00324728.2015.1037334

DO - 10.1080/00324728.2015.1037334

M3 - Article

SN - 0032-4728

VL - 69

SP - 237

EP - 251

JO - Population Studies: a journal of demography

JF - Population Studies: a journal of demography

IS - 2

ER -