FRISKY FRIDAY FRATERNIZING: Are You More or Less Likely to Marry the First Person You Live With?

There’s no rule that says you have to marry the first person you live with.

Researchers from two universities have just finished examining data, from two different surveys, with respondents from three birth cohorts:  1974-1979, 1980-1984, and 1985-1990.

They found people born in the ’70’s had a 50/50 chance of splitting up with or staying with (or marrying) their first partner; while 43-percent of those born 1985-1990 split up with their first cohabitating partner.

Study authors note that living with someone (rather than marriage) has become an almost universal form of first partnership, regardless of socio-economic background or educational level.

Co-author of the study, Dr Júlia Mikolai explains, “This could be a sign of the emergence of a new behavior, such as short-lived relationships, starting while in education or shortly after finishing a degree.  Postponement of first partnership formation among those not pursuing further education could also be a marker of the increased economic hardship and uncertainties.”

Researchers also point out that this research only considered those who formed their first partnerships before age 27.