A survey of cohabitation on two college campuses

Abstract

Cohabitation emerged in the late 1960s because of relaxed housing rules, the availability of the “pill,” a philosophy held by a plurality of students regarding the desirability of sex accompanying affection, and, perhaps, a need on the part of some students for a primary relationship. Some empirical data on the climate in which cohabitation emerged on two colleges are presented. A limited portrait of some of the characteristics of students who would cohabit or had cohabitated and the conditions under which they would consider entering into this arrangement is also provided. Data from this study revealed that a plurality of students on both campuses felt that cohabitation was acceptable when it was part of a relationship involving either planned marriage or affection. In addition, willingness to cohabit as well as cohabitation was more common among (1) males than females, (2) Jewish than Catholic and Protestant students, and (3) low church attendance students than high church attendance students. Between 10% and 15% of the students on the campuses were cohabiting.