Victor and his girlfriend Tosha are thinking about moving in together to "test the waters" of their relationship before getting married. "I think it will be good for us," Victor says, "so we can find out if we are good together before spending the time, effort, and money of getting married." What would be the best response to give Victor?
A) Be careful if you're thinking of having children someday, because couples who cohabit are much less likely to end up having children someday.
B) This is precisely why most people choose to live together before marriage, and it has been found to make for better relationships in the long run.
C) Studies suggest that cohabiting before getting married is not necessarily associated with the quality of the subsequent marriage.
D) There are major differences in married couples who cohabitated before getting married and those who did not, so make sure to examine all of the research before moving in together.

Question

Victor and his girlfriend Tosha are thinking about moving in together to "test the waters" of their relationship before getting married. "I think it will be good for us," Victor says, "so we can find out if we are good together before spending the time, effort, and money of getting married." What would be the best response to give Victor?
A) ​Be careful if you're thinking of having children someday, because couples who cohabit are much less likely to end up having children someday.
B) ​This is precisely why most people choose to live together before marriage, and it has been found to make for better relationships in the long run.
C) ​Studies suggest that cohabiting before getting married is not necessarily associated with the quality of the subsequent marriage.
D) ​There are major differences in married couples who cohabitated before getting married and those who did not, so make sure to examine all of the research before moving in together.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that living together before marriage does not necessarily predict the quality of the marriage later on, indicating that cohabitation is not a definitive test of marital success.

Victor and His Girlfriend Tosha Are Thinking About Moving in Together