Articles

Premarital cohabitation has consistently been found to be associated with increased risk for divorce and marital distress in the United State. Two explanations for this “cohabitation effect” are discussed: selection and experience. We present an empirically based view of how the experience of cohabitation may increase risk for relationship distress or divorce for some people beyond what is accounted for by selection. Specifically, using a commit­ment framework , we suggest that some couples who otherwise would nor have married end up married because of the inertia of cohabitation