Cohabitation: A Trial Period Before Marriage? Marriage can be a scary thing for anyone. The act of marriage can bring with it fears such as commitment, as well as fears related to cohabitation and sharing everything. This, in turn, can lead to one or both parties feeling vulnerable. A common approach to calming these fears and vulnerabilities is cohabitation. For many, cohabitation may seem like a transitional period for couples to adjust to living together before marriage. In fact, cohabitation is becoming the norm in the United States. Huang, Smock, Manning, and Lynch (2011) state that “clearly, cohabitation has become a customary part of the American courtship process” and that it “has increased dramatically in the United States in recent decades.” In this article we will explore the reasoning behind cohabitation and discuss its advantages and disadvantages. Why cohabitation? One of the most popular reasons is cited as “couples can be sure they are compatible before marriage (Huang, et al, 2011)”. Apparently, many couples who cohabit before marriage fear incompatibility with their current boyfriends and/or future spouses. Using cohabitation as a "trial period" before marriage can remove the fear of cohabitation from both spouses. It can assure both parties that they are sociable in the living space, or claim that they are not. Smock, Casper and Wyse (2008) also highlight different influences on cohabitation: there are cultural and economic influences. Young people see cohabitation as a part of life. “Two-thirds of young men and women aged 18 to 29 who have never been married or cohabited explicitly disagree with the statement that 'a young couple should not live together unless... ... middle of paper.... ...couples who study cohabitation before embarking on it can learn what thoughts and actions can avoid a damaged relationship. References Booth, A., & Johnson, D. (1988). Premarital cohabitation and marital success. Journalof Family Issues, 9(255), Retrieved from http://jfi.sagepub.com/content/9/2/255 doi: 10.1177/019251388009002007Hill, J.R., & Evans, S.G. (2006). Effects of duration of cohabitation on personal and relational well-being. Alabama Policy Institute. Huang, P. M., Smock, P. J., Manning, W. D., & Bergstrom-Lynch, C. A. (2011). He says, she says: gender and coexistence. Journal of Family Issues, 32(876), Retrieved from http://jfi.sagepub.com/content/32/7/876 doi:10.1177/0192513X10397601Smock, P.J., Casper, L.M. & Wyse, J. (2008, July) . Nonmarital cohabitation: Current knowledge and future directions for research. (Report no. 08‐648).