fertility decision making

119 Pages·2013·0.73 MB·English

by  Lora Adair

FERTILITY DECISION MAKING: TO WHAT EXTENT DO ADAPTATIONS, SOCIAL
PRESSURES, AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES INFLUENCE PLANS TO HAVE A
CHILD?

by

LORA E. ADAIR

B. S., Florida State University, 2010

A THESIS

submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree

MASTER OF SCIENCE

Department of Psychological Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences

KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Manhattan, Kansas

2013

Approved by:

Major Professor
Gary Brase
Copyright
LORA E. ADAIR
2013
Abstract
An evolutionary perspective suggests that changes in resource availability produce changes in
fertility decisions and desires, and that these adaptive mechanisms are sensitive to sociocultural
factors that act more proximally to the decision-maker. The current work systematically
investigates several factors as potential predictors of fertility decisions at the level of the
individual decision-maker in a three-study design, adding to an existing literature of fertility
decision-making that has focused on demographic-level shifts. In study 1 (N=228, 69.3% female,
average age=25.6), study 2 (N=232, 72.4% female, average age=24.7), and study 3 (N=333, 67%
female, average age=25.1) data was collected from a general Internet sample and a student
sample. Findings suggest that high resource variability produces insecure romantic attachment,
which is associated with increased fertility plans and desires. Further, this work indicates that
fertility decision making mechanisms are sensitive to sociocultural factors, particularly gender
roles and identities, cultural pressures to become a parent, mothering expectations, and
relationship status. These findings suggest that demographic-level changes in fertility can be
understood, with strong predictive models, at the individual-level of analysis.
Table of Contents
List of Figures ............................................................................................................................. viiii

List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. ix

Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... x

Dedication ...................................................................................................................................... xi
Introduction ................................................................................................................................... xii

Specific Aims .......................................................................................................................... xvii
A Proposed Model of Fertility Decision Making……………………………………………xvi
Chapter 1 – Study 1: The Influence of Sociocultural Factors on Fertility Decisions ..................... 1

Sex Roles and Identity ................................................................................................................ 1

Attitudes About Parenting .......................................................................................................... 3

Social Pressures .......................................................................................................................... 4

Relationship Status and Duration ............................................................................................... 5

Chapter 2 - Study 1 Methods, Results, and Discussion .................................................................. 7

Participants .................................................................................................................................. 7

Procedure and Materials ............................................................................................................. 7

Sex Roles and Identity ........................................................................................................ 8

Attitudes About Parenting ................................................................................................... 9

Social Pressures .................................................................................................................. 9

Relationship Status and Duration ........................................................................................ 9

Fertility Decision Making ................................................................................................... 9

Study 1 Results ......................................................................................................................... 10

Analysis of Demographic Factors ..................................................................................... 10

Hypothesis Testing for Study 1 ......................................................................................... 11

Fertility Plans ..................................................................................................................... 11

Ultimate number of children desired ................................................................................ 11

The age at which one plans to have their first child ......................................................... 13

Fertility attitudes and desires ............................................................................................ 14

The frequency of desires to have a baby ....................................................................... 15

iv
The strength of visceral desires to have a baby ............................................................ 16

Attitudes about fertility ................................................................................................. 16

Study 1 Discussion ................................................................................................................ 17

Chapter 3 – Study 2: The Influence of Adaptations, in Conjunction with Proximate Factors, on
Fertility Decisions .................................................................................................................. 22

Life History and Household Income ......................................................................................... 22

Attachment Style ....................................................................................................................... 23

Impulsivity ................................................................................................................................ 24

Chapter 4 – Study 2 Methods, Results, and Discussion ............................................................... 26

Participants ................................................................................................................................ 26

Procedure and Materials ........................................................................................................... 26

Life History and Household Income ................................................................................. 27

Attachment Style ............................................................................................................... 27

Impulsivity ........................................................................................................................ 28

Fertility Decision Making ................................................................................................. 28

Analysis of Demographic Factors ............................................................................................. 29

Hypothesis Testing for Study 2 ................................................................................................ 29

Fertility Plans ........................................................................................................................ 30

Ultimate number of children desired ................................................................................ 30

The age at which one plans to have their first child ......................................................... 32

Fertility attitudes and desires ............................................................................................ 33

The frequency of desires to have a baby ....................................................................... 35

The strength of visceral desires to have a baby ............................................................ 36

Attitudes about fertility ................................................................................................. 36

Study 2 Discussion ............................................................................................................ 39

Chapter 5 – Study 3: Adaptations and Biological Influences on Fertility Decisions ................... 42

Ovulatory Stage ........................................................................................................................ 42

Biological Sex ........................................................................................................................... 43

Reproductive Status of Peers .................................................................................................... 44

Chapter 6 - Study 3 Methods, Results, and Discussion……………………………………….46
Participants ................................................................................................................................ 46

v
Procedure and Materials ........................................................................................................... 47

Ovulatory Stage, Biological Sex, and Reproductive Status of Peers ................................ 48

Fertility Decision Making ................................................................................................. 48
Study 3 Results………………………………………………………………………………..49
Analysis of Demographic Factors ..................................................................................... 49

Hypothesis Testing for Study 3 ............................................................................................. 49

Fertility Plans .................................................................................................................... 50

Ultimate number of children desired ................................................................................ 50

The age at which one plans to have their first child ......................................................... 51

Fertility attitudes and desires ............................................................................................ 51

The frequency of desires to have a baby ....................................................................... 52

The strength of visceral desires to have a baby ............................................................ 52

Attitudes about fertility ................................................................................................. 52

Study 3 Discussion .................................................................................................................... 53
Chapter 7 General Discussion……………………………………………………………………56
The Deal-breaker Hypothesis ................................................................................................... 56

The Mate-copying Hypothesis .................................................................................................. 57

Consistent Demographic Predictors Across Samples ............................................................... 57

Limitations ................................................................................................................................ 59

Future Directions ...................................................................................................................... 60

Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 61

References ..................................................................................................................................... 63
Appendix A……………………………………………………………………………………....74
Appendix B………………………………………………………………………………………76
Appendix C………………………………………………………………………………………78
Appendix D………………………………………………………………………………………80
Appendix E………………………………………………………………………………………82
Appendix F………………………………………………………………………………………83
Appendix G………………………………………………………………………………………85
Appendix H………………………………………………………………………………….......87
Appendix I…………………………………………………………………………………….....90
vi
Figures…………………………………………………………………………………………...92
Tables…………………………………………………………………………………………….96

vii
List of Figures
Figure 1.1 A proposed predictive model of fertility decision making…………………………92
Figure 1.2 A proposed predictive model of fertility decision making - empirically-supported
relationships……………………………………………………………………………………..93
Figure 2.1 The interaction Between Cultural Pressures for Parenthood and Biological Sex for
Study 1………………………………………………………………………………………….95

viii
List of Tables
Table 1.1 Test of Sex Differences on Attitude Measures for Study 1 .......................................... 96
Table 2.1 Test of Sex Differences on Attitude Measures for Study 2……..………………….....97
Table 3.1 Test of Sex Differences on Attitude Measures for Study 3…………………………...98

ix
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my mentor and committee members, as well as the members of the Brase
lab, for all of their time, advice, and comments regarding this work. I am very grateful for all of
your support.
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