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Research ArticleArticles

Is Your Love in Vain? Another Look at Premarital Cohabitation and Divorce

Michael Svarer
Journal of Human Resources, March 2004, 39 (2) 523-535; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.39.2.523
Michael Svarer
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Abstract

In this paper we provide an empirical investigation of the association between premarital cohabitation and subsequent risk of divorce. Theoretically couples who cohabit before marriage should have a lower subsequent risk of divorce since cohabitation enables you to gather information about the match quality, and only good matches evolve into marriage. However, a considerable number of papers have come to the complete opposite conclusion. The counter-intuitive result has been justified with self-selection of cohabitants as the main argument. In the present paper, we provide new evidence concerning the relationship between premarital cohabitation and divorce.

  • Received June 2001.
  • Accepted November 2002.

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Journal of Human Resources
Vol. 39, Issue 2
31 Mar 2004
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Is Your Love in Vain? Another Look at Premarital Cohabitation and Divorce
Michael Svarer
Journal of Human Resources Mar 2004, 39 (2) 523-535; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.39.2.523

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Is Your Love in Vain? Another Look at Premarital Cohabitation and Divorce
Michael Svarer
Journal of Human Resources Mar 2004, 39 (2) 523-535; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.39.2.523
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