Let’s think and talk about the trend of cohabitation. While for many the trend of cohabitation is something quite normal and encouraged and something some of you are and will participate in, for others and even in academic circles there are still considerations and caution. Thus, we are having a conversation…
Assignment Description
FIRST, review Chapter 5 (The section entitled, “The Final Filter: Cohabitation and Engagement”) and Chapter 6 of our required text. Then you need to choose TWO of the following listed articles and review them as other sources to incorporate and use in your post. This will make for a total of three sources: two articles from the list below and the textbook. You are also free and encouraged to do your research and include other sources ( remember to cite and make sure they are credible sources) to the two required from the list below and our textbook:
- Time: How shacking up before marriage affects a relationship’s success https://time.com/20386/how-shacking-up-before-marriage-affects-a-relationships-success/
- Psychology Today: Should you move in together or not? https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/meet-catch-and-keep/201407/should-you-move-in-together-or-not
- Psychology Today: Are Couples that Live Together Before Marriage More Likely to Divorce? https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/meet-catch-and-keep/202101/are-couples-that-live-together-before-marriage-more-likely-to
- Institute for Family Studies: Cohabitation is Pervasive https://ifstudies.org/blog/cohabitation-is-pervasive
- Pew Research Center: Marriage and Cohabitation in the U.S. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2019/11/06/marriage-and-cohabitation-in-the-u-s/
Based on your review of chapter 6 (and even other chapters like chapter 5 of our text that include cohabitation), the articles you chose, and thinking over your observations and maybe experience, answer the following…
Part A:
- What were your views concerning cohabitation both before and after reviewing the chapter readings, chosen articles, and potentially, personal experience?
- Why has cohabitation become so normative … what has changed?
- Discuss what you learned and what stood out to you from the two resources you chose AND the textbook readings (please remember to provide multiple points from each article).
- Based on your resources and the textbook, in what ways can cohabitation be helpful and harmful?
- Be sure to discuss/apply the articles you chose and the chapter to support and explain your conclusions–this is critical to ALL coursework.
Part B:
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Based on what you have learned from the research, any personal experience/observations, beliefs/values, and the resources you chose about cohabitation, what would you share and advise a friend who is considering cohabiting with their partner and comes to you for your thoughts as they contemplate this very important decision? This is an important decision and should be made with understanding and wisdom. Course Application is expected in your response.
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As indicated in the articles and chapter, consider the following areas to bring up and share with a friend your feelings and beliefs about cohabitation, finances, the future of the relationship, motivation, and reason to move in together, and family and friends’ views, religious beliefs, social time and leisure activities, what are the non-negotiables, chores, hobbies, pet peeves, pets, what happens if someone wants out, renting versus buying, purchases (shared or buy things separately), should they create a cohabitation contract, potential pregnancy, etc.
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In your replies, feel free to include your personal beliefs and experiences related to cohabiting in addition to incorporating through discussion and points of application from the resources and textbook to assert your views and conclusions.
Submission Instructions
Submit your discussion posts using the reply arrow below. Be sure to share complete thoughts and examples, and answer the questions above to promote further discussion with each other.
You can write personally in the first person and your posts are expected to be in essay/paragraph form. DO NOT present your work in question/answer (Q&A) format; always essay unless otherwise noted. Keep it conversational and follow the expectations for class discussions.
As always, this can be done in several ways:
- Respond to another student’s post.
- Respond to a student who has provided feedback on your original post (which can lead to some thoughtful dialogue).
- Respond to another student’s comment.
Remember to:
- Follow the class discussion expectations.
- Integrate course material from the assigned chapter(s) reading and your chosen articles (see instructions above) to support and explain your views. The objective of these posts is for you to present an INFORMED opinion and demonstrate comprehension of the course material.
- Make sure you respond to all the questions posed in the prompt.
- DO NOT EDIT your work once you have submitted your work. This is to protect everyone’s work. Simply, post a reply to your original post if necessary.
- Use proper APA formatting when citing a source within your posts and providing a reference list. Failure to do so will result in a deduction. Any time you have a formatting question, please see the post I created about APA formatting on our announcements page. Please Note: you will need to cite your chosen articles along with the chapter in your reference list.
- Keep in mind: your original post to this prompt is worth up to 10 points and your 4 peer responses are worth up to 4 points. This makes the total points for this discussion worth 14 points.