According to Clarkberg, Stolzenberg and Waite, from the University of Chicago, cohabitation is preferred over marriage by a specific group of people defined through their preferences in certain attitudes and values. According to this study, people chose to enter into either marriage or cohabitation depending on their views on procreation and relationships. However, the article also includes a study of peoples choice relying on views towards leisure time allotment, household labor division, employment, economic resources and relationships with immediate and extended family as well as with religion.

According to the research most couples inter into cohabitation because it allows them to postpone their entrance into what would be considered traditional gender-specific marital roles in a family environment. This couples may later either evolve into marriage or break up their cohabitation status. Both marriage and cohabitation are considered "romantic coresidential unions," however, researchers have pressed forward a belief that...