Abstract
Nationally representative US panel data from 1020 husbands and wives who remained in intact marriages and where the wife was under 40 interviewed in 1980 and 1983 are used to test the implications of exchange theory for fertility decisions. Birth of an additional child is computed by comparing the 1980 report of children the respondent had ever had with the 1983 report. 32% had a child: 53% at 0 parity 22% at the 2nd and 7% at the 3rd. Because costs and rewards attached to alternatives as well as the alternatives themselves vary by parity whether the determinants of fertility choices vary by parity was tested. The results of a multiple regression technic suggest a significant nonlinear component to the determinants of fertility especially for those factors related to womens roles. Neither sex-role traditionalism nor wives achievement in nonfamilial roles has a simple negative effect on fertility: both encourage adoption of the parenthood role while simultaneously discouraging large families. Simple demographic variables such as wifes age length of interval and previous parity have significant and substantial negative effects on fertility. 5 of the variables seem to be parity-dependent e.g. age and interval are stronger at parities of 0 and 1. Traditional sex-role values appear to encourage only the 1st child. 2 direct measures of womens extrafamilial opportunities: education and highly satisfactory work show an unexpectedly positive link to fertility again at low parities. Womens employment appears to affect fertility negatively when the employment opportunity is not satisfactory. It is suggested that female employment encourages low-parity fertility by providing an additional field for women to excel in. There is no evidence from these data of husbands income increasing family formation or building.
Published Version
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