VOĽBA NEZOSOBÁŠENÉHO SPOLUŽITIA V PODMIENKACH SOCIÁLNEHO A SITUAČNÉHO TLAKU

Increasing occurrence of unmarried cohabitation as the first form of a co-residential union of the young generation in the post-revolutionary period in Slovakia and its preferring to former direct entering into marriage union creates a space for variable interpretations. On one hand, there is a tendency to view the phenomenon as a manifestation of the value-change in the population. On the other one, it is argued by postponing or rejecting marriage as a result of worsened social-economic conditions. Presented qualitative research with its conclusions primarily supports the statement about cultural aspects of transformation of the society, although the legitimacy of the second course of interpretation cannot be completely ignored. The results are presented in a broader contextual frame. In accordance with the grounded theory method the author discovers a decision-making process of entering into an unmarried cohabitation. It is identified as a process of autonomous-pressure manoeuvring in the context of different intensity of social and situational pressure, faced by actors in the crucial moment. Consequently, the author constructs four cohabiting types – independent initiators, stimulated individualists, resisting autonomists and reformed traditionalists.