Why is the probability of getting married low after living together for a long time

The low probability of getting married after living together for a long time is usually related to factors such as relationship inertia, economic concerns, and emotional exhaustion. Long term cohabitation may weaken the necessity of marriage ceremony and expose more real-life contradictions.

1. Relationship inertia

After cohabiting to form a stable lifestyle, both parties are prone to falling into a comfort zone. The tacit understanding of daily life may replace the urgent need for marriage, especially when economic and social pressures are low, some partners may see cohabitation as an alternative to marriage. In this state, the motivation to actively change the relationship status is often insufficient.

2. Economic Concerns

Marriage involves legal constraints such as property sharing and responsibility allocation, while cohabitation relationships have higher flexibility. Some partners are more inclined to maintain the status quo due to concerns about economic disputes or asset division after marriage. Real pressures such as housing prices and childcare costs can also delay marriage decisions, especially when cohabitation can meet basic living needs.

3. Emotional fatigue

Long term close interaction may accelerate the decline of intimacy. The differences in lifestyle habits and conflict resolution methods exposed during cohabitation, if not effectively resolved, can lower expectations for marriage. Some partners may hesitate to enter into a more serious committed relationship due to the continued depletion of emotional energy.

Fourth, Values

The contemporary young population's recognition of the necessity of marriage has generally decreased. After cohabitation was widely accepted as a means of trial marriage, some people believed that marriage was only a formality. When both parties have different understandings of the meaning of marriage, it is easy for one party to be satisfied with the status quo while the other party is unwilling to take the initiative to promote it.

V. Opportunity Cost

Marriage means giving up other potential relationship options, and long-term cohabitants may experience sunk cost anxiety due to aging or emotional involvement. Some individuals may worry about losing personal space or development opportunities after marriage, as this implicit cost assessment will directly affect their willingness to get married.

For cohabiting partners considering marriage, it is recommended to conduct regular relationship reviews to clarify whether both parties have consistent plans for the future. The sense of commitment can be enhanced by setting phased goals, such as specific actions such as joint savings and asset purchases. When encountering communication barriers, seek advice and help from your partner, with a focus on developing conflict resolution skills. Maintaining an independent social circle and personal growth space can also help alleviate relationship fatigue, while also avoiding equating cohabitation with the transitional period of marriage. It is necessary to face the legal and emotional differences between the two states.