Value of Children among Chinese Mothers: Cohort Effects and Urban-rural Differences

Abstract

China is facing a dramatic decrease of fertility rate, even after the one-child policy has been changed to two-children policy. Psychologists propose that value of children may account for willingness to deliver babies. Value of children (VOC) includes VOC+ (which means the positive values of children) and VOC- (the cost and expenditure of having children). This study compared value of children among different cohorts of Chinese women and women in urban and rural areas in China. In Study 1, 203 mothers of childbearing age in China were recruited to complete VOC scale. Their responses were then compared with 208 mothers born in 1920~1949 and 206 mothers born in 1950~1979 in the study by Zheng et al., (2005). Cohort effects were found in all VOC dimensions, the current generation pays less attention to children s traditional value of economic support and old-age security, and pays more attention to children s emotional and familial values, as well as the disadvantages and constraints in delivering babies, indicating Chinese women s values of children have changed over time. In Study 2, women in three areas of different economic levels were recruited. Results showed differences in both VOC+ and VOC- dimensions: women in remote rural areas put more emphasis on “traditional VOC”, while participants in urban areas rated higher in VOC-. This may explain why the fertility rate in urban area is even lower than that in rural area in China. Reasons of intergenerational and urban-rural differences are further discussed.</br></br> Key Words: Value of children, cohort effect, urban-rural differences, Chinese mothers