Examining Fertility Intentions in China and Spain: An Application of the Communication Theory of Planned Behavior

Abstract

In the current context of worldwide low fertility rate, the issue of female fertility received great attention. Since the attitudes towards giving the birth could have a heavy influence on the fertility behavior or behavioral intention, meanwhile, the attitudes are often affected by womens self- cognition and social norms, so it is important to search for the crucial factors of female fertility issues. Consistent with above conditions and research goal, this study applies the Theory of Planned Behavior and also chooses some parts of the Cognitive Mediation Model as the academic resource of potential factors which originated from the widespread use of social media. By the means of proposal sampling, the current research have conducted an online survey by spreading the questionnaire to search for the correlations between the attitudes, social norms, perceived behavioral control with fertility intentions respectively. The objectives are the females (ages from 18-60 years old, who can be independent and has fertility ability or go over peoples identity) in China and Spain. The two countries have different social context and fertility policies, but the results illustrate that womens fertility intentions are both low. Moreover, females seem the subjective norms like the stress pushed by the intimate person. And they judge social media is more of a media platform for people to learn about fertility information and related policies. They actually think that having children is not beneficial but unpleasant. Overall, the impact of social media on fertility intention less powerful than polices (included in social norms) and more less powerful than womens feeling towards the life if having children (included in attitudes). Through the research process and by comparing the situation of China and Spain, this study can tell the importance of reforming birth and family policies, and indicate the general direction for it.