Abstract

High housing density has been considered a stressor that is detrimental to couples’ relationships. However, empirical research on this topic has been mixed, which might be due to the fact that not all couples respond to density in the same way. We contribute to the literature by not only considering separation as a potential reaction to density but also moving to a new place. Moreover, we combine insights from different theoretical models to explain how couples react differently to an overcrowded home, depending upon their resources. For our analyses, we use the German Family Panel PAIRFAM (10 waves, 2008/09 to 2017/18) with a sample of N = 4180 couples, of which 484 experience a move and 488 a separation. Applying competing risk models, we find that vulnerable groups such as the poor and the low-educated are significantly more likely than others to separate when in a dense home rather than to stay in the same dwelling.

摘要

高住房密度被认为是不利于夫妻关系的压力源。然而，关于这个主题的实证研究好坏参半，这可能是因为并非所有夫妇对密度的反应都相同。我们不仅将分离视为对密度的潜在反应，而且还搬到了一个新的地方，从而为文献做出了贡献。此外，我们结合不同理论模型的见解来解释夫妻对过度拥挤的家庭有何不同反应，具体取决于他们的资源。在我们的分析中，我们使用德国家庭小组 PAIRFAM（10 波，2008/09 至 2017/18），样本为 N = 4180 对夫妇，其中 484 对经历过搬家，488 对经历过分居。应用竞争风险模型，