Cohabitation (ukuhlalisana), is this a new type of marriage?

While in the past it used to be almost taboo cohabitation in the Southern Africa has increased by a phenomenal   percentage in the past half century. In 1960s, it was unheard of for unmarried couples to live together. Now the number of those leaving together runs into millions. The majority of young adults in their 20s and 30s now  live with a romantic partner and more than half of all marriages are preceded by cohabitation.

This shift has been attributed to a cultural revolution that has seen the younger generation not viewing marriage as that important and the easy availability of effective birth control methods. Some co-habit in order to share the bills as the economy is tough especially on migrant labourers in cosmopolitan cities.

Most also believe that moving in together before marriage is a good way to avoid divorce, but that belief is contradicted by experience. Couples who co habit before marrying (and especially before an engagement or an otherwise clear commitment) tend to be less satisfied with their marriages ' and more likely to divorce - than couples who do not. These negative outcomes are called the cohabitation effect.

Researchers had originally attributed the cohabitation effect to selection, or the idea that cohabitors are less inclined towards  marriage and this makes them more open to divorce. But now that cohabitation has become a norm, studies show that the effect is not entirely explained by individual characteristics like religion, education or politics. Research now suggests that at least some of the risks may lie in cohabitation itself.

Why do people chose to co habit with their partners? Is it because the man would still be saving enough money to pay the lobola (bride price)? When asked by researchers most partners often have varied and at times reasons besides the lobola one. Women are more likely to view cohabitation as a step toward marriage, while men are more likely to see it as a way to test a relationship or postpone commitment, and this gender difference  is often associated with negative interactions and lower levels of commitment even after the relationship progresses to marriage. One thing both men and women agree on, however, is that their standards for a live-in partner are lower than they are for a spouse.

Getting  into cohabitation wouldn't be a problem if getting out were as easy problem is, it isn't. Many a time, young adults enter into what they think will be low-cost, low-risk living situations only to find themselves unable to get out months, even years, later. In fact, cohabitation can be exactly like that. Its a bit like getting a 'free' phone only after you sign up for a two year contract with a mobile network company. In behavioural economics, it's called consumer lock-in because its easier to get it than leave such contracts. Lock-in is defined as the decreased likelihood to search for, or change to, another option once an investment in something has been made. The greater the setup costs, the less likely we are to move to another, even better, situation, especially when faced with switching costs, or the time, money and effort it requires to make a change.

Since it looks like cohabitation is here to stay, should it be classified as a new type of marriage?

(Velempini Ndlovu is a freelance Photojournaist based in Johannesburg, South Africa  he can be contacted on veapndlovu@gmail.com) 0768297234