Compose a 1000 words assignment on the negative and the positive effects of cohabitation in north america in recent years. In the recent times, the social scene has gone through tremendous changes, if the dating scene is anything to go by. In the past, couples could only live together if they were married. Currently however, the situation has changed. couples now live together for mutual benefits, the recent increase in the number of couple’s cohabitating can attest this argument. Increasingly, more and more people live together for the emotional and sexual benefits they acquire from the relationship, other than being married. Various factors contribute to the sharp increase in this practice, as this paper argues. Coupled with the sexual and emotional support, more people try to avoid the pressure that comes with marriage by living together, with the increase in the cost of living standards, people try to share the cost of living through cohabitation, while others use it as a means of testing the loyalty of their partners. On the other hand, there are a number of effects associated with such an arrangement. Not only does this form of lifestyle increase chances of extramarital activities, it also contributes to the high number of divorce cases. Further, there is no commitment in the relationship, with couples showing less effort in trying to make the relationship work. Moreover, it increases chances of people getting married to the wrong partners, in addition to contributing to high levels of conflict between the cohabitating partners. In this regard, this paper seeks to explore the effects of cohabitation between two individuals.