Why Men Won't Commit

An article in the latest edition of Cosmopolitan magazine examines the difficulty of getting the modern man to settle down. Editor in chief Kate White talked about this new breed of commitment-phobic man with Early Show co-anchor Hannah Storm.

"It's so annoying because he wants to have his cake and eat it to," White said. "He wants to be in the relationship, likes the security of that, but likes the excitement he can be — get out of it when he wants."

White said Diddy and Owen Wilson are part of the boyfriend/bachelor breed. They are men who like to have long-term relationships but don't want to take the next step.

She said there are three major factors why men are having difficulty settling down:

It's Hot To Be A Bachelor Right Now

White blames George Clooney and Matthew McConaughey, who make being bachelors look so good.

"Years ago, if you were 40 and still not married, there would be something wrong with you if you were a straight man and still living on your own, and today it's cool," White said.

Many guys are encouraged to stall marriage by friends who remind them of their carefree days as a bachelor. White said that women should try to blend the two worlds so their men don't feel like they have to choose.

"Be friends with his friends," she said. "At the same time, give him a little bit of a long leash so he can hang with them so he doesn't feel so threatened."

Option Overload

Another problem, White said, is that because women are also putting off marriage, there are more to choose from and men feel like they are always looking for the best option.

"They don't know when to stop shopping," she said. "They may like you and think you're great but there's this sense, 'there could be someone even better if I just keep looking.' That's a real problem."

Women should pay attention to some key warning signs, White said. If men pull you in and then push you away, they could still be on the prowl.

Cohabitation Can Stall Commitment

"Women think it's the first step to getting him long term. A lot of guys view living together as just a test run. In fact, 40 percent of all those relationships don't ever make it beyond five years. So you really have to go in there knowing for him, it doesn't necessarily mean it's leading to marriage," White said.

She said to tell your boyfriend that you have expectations that this will turn into something permanent. If he is not ready for that, it's time to move on.