Find all our Student Opinion questions here.
Do you expect people who are in committed romantic relationships to eventually get married?
Do you imagine you’ll want to get married someday? Why or why not?
In “Unmarried Couples Gain in Numbers, but Survey Finds Married Ones May Be Happier,” Liam Stack writes about the study, along with possible reasons some couples have eschewed marriage — at least for now:
The survey results, published online Wednesday, show high public support for unmarried couples who live together, with majorities of every age group saying they find it acceptable to live with an unmarried partner. At the same time, the share of American adults who live with an unmarried partner has more than doubled since 1993, to 7 percent from 3 percent. The share of American adults who are married was 53 percent.
“When we talked to people who lived together, who were not engaged and who said they wanted to be engaged, we asked them why they were not currently married,” Juliana Horowitz, a co-author of the report, said in an interview. “A large share said either themselves not being ready financially or their partner not being ready financially was a major reason they were not married to their partner.”
Ms. Horowitz said “love and companionship topped the list” of reasons unmarried couples cited when asked to explain their decision to move in together. But roughly 40 percent said convenience — making it easier to spend time together — or finances were a major factor. In contrast, just 13 percent of married couples said financial considerations played a part in their decision to wed.
“We know from studies we have done and that others have done that many people are forgoing marriage for economic reasons, and we do see that here, with many cohabitants saying they are not far enough along in their career to get married yet,” she said.
Mr. Stack also addressed public acceptance of couples who are not married living together, as well as how satisfied people — married and unmarried — say they are in their relationships:
It used to be considered somewhat taboo for a couple to live together if they were not married — hence the term “living in sin” — but those attitudes have changed, researchers said.
A slim majority of Americans, 53 percent, said society would be better off if long-term couples got married. But 69 percent of Americans said it was acceptable to live with a romantic partner even if you have no plans to get married, while 16 percent said it was O.K. only if a couple sees a wedding in their future. A majority also said unmarried couples could raise children just as well as married couples could.
But all this acceptance does not mean there are no troubles in paradise for unmarried couples.
According to the survey, unmarried couples report significantly less satisfaction in their relationships than do married couples, who report higher levels of trust in their partners’ honesty, fidelity and spending habits. It said that 58 percent of married adults said their relationship was “going very well,” compared with 41 percent of unmarried people who live with a partner.
That pattern is true across a broad range of areas: Married people are more likely than unmarried cohabitants to say they are “very satisfied” with the division of household chores (46 percent to 37 percent); with their partner’s communication skills (43 percent to 35 percent); and how well their partner balances work and personal life (43 percent to 35 percent).
Students, read the entire article, then tell us:
Does anything in the article surprise you? If so, what?
Why do you think financial concerns get cited so frequently when people explain why they are not married to their long-term partners?
What do you think might explain why married people claim to be more satisfied with various aspects of their relationships than people who live with their partner and are not married?
Do you think getting married someday is important to most people your age? What about among people of other generations?
What are your thoughts on marriage? Is it something you see yourself doing someday? Or do you envision yourself happily single, in a committed partnership or in some other type of relationship when you’re older?
Students 13 and older are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.
