Intergenerational Influences on the Entry into Parenthood: Mothers' Preferences for Family and Nonfamily Behavior

Abstract

This article examines the extent to which childbearing behavior is determined by mothers' preferences versus individuals' own preferences. The theoretical framework is based on socialization and social control. A total of 835 mother-child pairs from the Intergenerational Panel Study of Parents and Children, a long-term longitudinal study, are analyzed using hazard models. The empirical analyses show that both sons and daughters whose mothers prefer early marriage, large families, low levels of education, and stay-at-home mothers enter parenthood earlier than their peers, and analyses show supportfor both socialization and social control mechanisms. The study concludes that mothers' preferences have a strong influence on when their children become parents by guiding them on different pathways toward adulthood.