I am studying the mathematical relationship between relationship time-length (in months) and likelihood of a breakup, and investigating if there is any such relationship.
I need some (a lot of) data.
For every (final) breakup and divorce, list the length of time that relationship lasted. Widows don’t count as failed relationships. I am sorry for your losses, for any widows out there.
So for example, say you had three relationships that lasted 3 months, 9 months, and 4 years each. In your post, you would list:
ETA: To do the analysis properly you should really include relationships that have not ended as well as those that have ended for reasons that you think don’t count. In survival analysis these are “right-censored” observations, and ignoring them introduces bias.
How are we defining relationships here? Are you counting only exclusive relationships? Single dates that failed to work out? Friendships that developed into something else and subsequently stopped being romantic? If I date the same person more than one time, do we want the total count or ought I be counting each individually?
I’m not actually sure how to count them up here. Depending on how we’re counting here, I’m not sure I can actually come up with an accurate count. I don’t necessarily think I remember all the people I “dated” in the high school and college years. It was a long time ago, and some of those “relationships” were dang short.
Exclusive romantic relationships and time is counted from first date (or date of transformation of relationship type from friendship to romantic relationship). So say you date someone not exclusively for 5 weeks, that doesn’t count. On the on the other hand, if you become exclusive at the 4 week mark, and then break up in a few days, that counts as a one month relationship that failed.
Say you’re friends with someone for 2 years and then decide to be in a romantic relationship, and then 1.5 years later you break up, that wouldn’t count as 42 months, but 18 months.