Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T15:31:56.179Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

An analysis of reproductive motivation in Shiraz, Iran

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

S. E. Tolnay
Affiliation:
Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
A. H. Mehryar
Affiliation:
Population Center, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
S. Jamshidi
Affiliation:
Population Center, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

Summary

In a sample of 260 married men in Shiraz, the relationship is studied of fertility to demographic, socioeconomic and psychosocial variables, the last measuring the perceived economic value of children. The number of children ever born is closely associated with duration of marriage, but socioeconomic variables also exert a significant influence, especially the wife's educational level. Recent fertility is more closely associated with age of wife, but also with ownership of modern goods which is also the major factor in current contraceptive use. The perceived value of children appears unimportant, negligible in recent fertility and contraceptive use, and only showing a slight positive relationship between expected reliance on children for support in old age and the number of children ever born.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1980

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aghajanlan, A. (1979) The relationship of income and consumption of modern goods to fertility: a study of working class families in Iran. J. biosoc. Sci. 11, 219.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ajami, I. (1976) Differential fertility in peasant communities: a study of six Iranian villages. Popul. Stud. 30, 453.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Arnold, F.S., Bulatao, R.A., Buripakdi, C., Chung, B.J., Fawcett, J.T., Iritani, T., Lee, S.J. & Wu, T.S. (1975) The Value of Children: A Cross–National Study, Volume I: Introduction and comparative Anatysis. East–West Population Institute, East–West Center. Honolulu, Hawaii.Google Scholar
Blalock, H.M. (1975) Social Statistics. McGraw-Hill, New YorkGoogle Scholar
Caldwell, J.C. (1977) The economic rationality of high fertility: an investigation illustrated with Nigerian survey data. Popul. Stud. 31, 5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hoffman, L.W. & Hoffman, M.L. (1973) The value of children to parents. In: Psychological Perspectives on Population. Edited by Fawcett, J.T.. Basic Books, New York.Google Scholar
Kerlinger, F. & Pedhazur, E. (1973) Multiple Regression in Behavioral Research. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York.Google Scholar
Mehryar, A.H., Tolnay, S. & Jamshidi, S. (1977) Changing perception of childeren's value and cost by groups of paremts in an Iranian city. In: The Economic and Social Supports for Hogh Fertility. Edited by Ruzicka, L.T.. Australian Nartional University, Canberra, Australia.Google Scholar
Mueller, E. (1972) Economic motives for family limitation: a study conducted in Taiwan. Popul. Stud. 26, 383.Google Scholar
Paydarfar, A.A. (1975) Sociocultural correlates of fertility among tribal, rural, and urban populations in Iran. Soc. Biol. 22, 151.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paydarfar, A.A., Sarram, M. (1970) Differential fertility and socio-economic status of Shirazi women: a pilot study. J. Marr., Fam. 32, 692.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ware, H. (1978) The Value of Children in Asia and Africa: Comparative Perspectives. East–West Population Institute Paper No. 50. East–West Center. Honolulu. Hawaii.Google Scholar