Do Attitudes Predict Union Type? Does Union Type Change Attitudes?

Karen B. Guzzo, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

It has been established that individuals who have cohabited have significantly different attitudes than non-cohabitors, but it is unknown whether their attitudes were different at the start of the union or if (and to what extent) their attitudes changed during the course of the relationship. Using waves 1 & 2 of the National Survey of Families & Households, this paper tests whether attitudes towards marriage, family values, and gender roles influence union formation and union type. Taking advantage of the longitudinal nature of the data, this paper also tests whether union type influences attitudes. Preliminary results suggest that attitudes significantly influence the likelihood of marriage but have no effect on cohabitation. Individuals with conservative attitudes are more likely to marry than remain single or cohabit. Additionally, experiencing a cohabitation, nonmarital birth, or divorce appears to encourage more liberal attitudes over time, while a marriage and/or marital birth encourage increased traditionalism.