Cultural and Economic Approaches to Fertility: Proper Marriage or Mesalliance?

Abstract

Economic models have organized much fertility research particularly over the last 2 decades. The usual formulation of these models assumes that preferences are fixed and fertility differences are explained by differences in opportunities (constraints). Yet some interpretations of evidence of fertility decline inconsistent with economic models and have led to explicit challenges to them. These challenges generally take 2 forms--an emphasis on diffusion and an emphasis on culture. This paper addresses the consistency of the empirical findings and the interpretations drawn from then with economic models. In particular the authors discuss the roles that diffusion may play in economic models and the relationship between cultural and economic explanations of fertility. The fit between diffusion and economic models depends on what is diffusing. Here the literature is diffuse variously identifying new information new attitudes regarding ideal family size or the new values legitimating fertility control within marriage. The distinction is critical for the issue considered here since the diffusion of information about birth control technology is consistent with a household production model. Differences in information about opportunities can explain differences in behavior. The diffusion of preferences ( a new ideal family size or the new legitimacy of fertility control within marriage) on the other hand fits less comfortably within economic models although recent work suggests that it too can be accommodated. Cultural explanations fit rather awkwardly with economic models because culture cuts across the categories of opportunities (including information) and preferences thereby denying the validity of the dichotomous classification scheme underlying economic models. Finally culture may define the types of behaviors that are subject to individual choice in a particular society and thus delimit the areas within which economic or rational actor models are appropriate. (authors)