Why do cohabiting couples marry? An example of a causal event history approach to interdependent systems.
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate a causal approach to interdependent systems based on two empirical investigations. These examples demonstrate 1) the study of two highly interdependent processes: entry into first marriage as the dependent process and the process of first birth/first pregnancy as the explaining one; 2) an interdependence occurring mainly in a very specific phase of individuals' lives (i.e., during the period of first family formation); 3) the involvement of time lags between cause and its effect (e.g., time until detection of conception); and 4) the highly dynamic character of an unfolding effect over time (i.e., the effect of first pregnancy/first birth on first marriage strongly depends on the progress of pregnancy and the time since the birth has taken place).
Blossfeld
H P
HP
Klijzing
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E
Pohl
K
K
Rohwer
G
G
D001721:Birth Intervals; D001723:Birth Rate; D003710:Demography; D019049:Developed Countries; D005060:Europe; D005298:Fertility; D005858:Germany; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008393:Marriage; D011153:Population; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012106:Research
Birth Intervals; Demographic Analysis; Demographic Factors; Developed Countries; Europe; Fertility; Fertility Measurements; First Birth Intervals; First Pregnancy Intervals; Germany; Interdisciplinary Studies; Longitudinal Studies; Nuptiality; Population; Population Dynamics; Pregnancy Intervals; Research Methodology; Studies; Western Europe