Suchergebnisse

The standard neoclassical economics model of utility maximization & its derived demand functions are used as a basis to examine the decision process involved in deciding family size. Emphasis is placed on a sociopsychological variable: the sociopsychological cost of restricting the number of children experienced through social disapproval, suspected infertility (for which social sanctions may exist), & questioning of deviance from the established norm. The hypothesis predicts that 'in a `backward' village society, parents will continue to bear children throughout the child-rearing span (observing only the controls within societal customs); but they will consider terminating or delaying if the costs of rearing another child are perceived to be prohibitive.' A developing country & its society provide the context for analysis. The decision process is expressed as disutility function to be minimized, (D= D[K,M]). The disutility from K includes the net SE costs of children, & disutility from M comprises a sociopsychological cost of restricting fertility. Relationships between the variables are illustrated in a four sector diagram. The effects of a society in or out of equilibrium are delineated. A dynamic theory is offered within which change in fertility rates is examined. Hypotheses are offered which may be used to analyze the change in fertility rate. Problems for empirical testing are discussed. 2 Figures. N. Jahnke.