Introduction: the relevance of studying fertility across time and space

Sobotka, Tomáš

doi:10.1553/populationyearbook2020.int01

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 56 publications

(68 reference statements)

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“…Often considered frontrunners in implementing family-friendly policies, the Nordic countries have traditionally had relatively high fertility levels compared to other European nations (Sobotka 2020). The factors that have contributed to the recent fertility declines in the Nordic countries are not yet fully understood, especially given the lack of substantial changes to family policies .…”

Section: Birthsmentioning

confidence: 99%

State of the Nordic Region 2024

Norlén,

Heleniak,

Sánchez Gassen

et al. 2024

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Section: Birthsmentioning

confidence: 99%

State of the Nordic Region 2024

Norlén,

Heleniak,

Sánchez Gassen

et al. 2024

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“…On the aggregate level, some studies have demonstrated that a two-child family ideal has been persistent in most European countries and in the US over the last three decades (Hagewen and Morgan 2005;Sobotka and Beaujouan 2014), suggesting that the ideal number of children has stabilized around the replacement level. Fertility rates, however, have been declining to well-below replacement levels in most high-income countries today (Sobotka 2020). This macro-level disparity between ideal and achieved average family size has been described as a 'fertility gap' (Philipov 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Birth cohort changes in fertility ideals: Evidence from repeated cross-sectional surveys in Finland

Savelieva¹,

Nitsche²,

Berg³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Since the great recession, fertility has been declining steeply in some high-income countries. It is, however, unknown whether the ideal number of children, a key predictor of fertility behaviour, has also declined, either in parallel or prior to fertility decline. Finland is known for its supportive family policies, but is among those countries, which have experienced drastic and poorly understood fertility decline over the last decade. Using repeated cross-sectional survey data from the Finnish Family Barometers, we examined birth cohort changes in ideal number of children among men and women born in 1970–94. Our findings indicate that the ideal number of children was lower among more recent compared to earlier birth cohorts. This difference in fertility ideals was driven by larger proportions of those preferring to remain childless among the recent birth cohorts. This suggests that attitudes of Finns towards childbearing have changed and may contribute to recent fertility decline.

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Birth cohort changes in fertility ideals: evidence from repeated cross-sectional surveys in Finland

Golovina,

Nitsche,

Berg

et al. 2023

European Sociological Review

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Fertility has declined in developed countries but whether there is a similar pattern in the number of children individuals wish to have (henceforth an ideal number of children) remains unclear. Using repeated cross-sectional survey data from the Finnish Family Barometers, we examine birth cohort changes in the ideal number of children among men and women from five birth cohorts (1970–1974, 1975–1979, 1980–1984, 1985–1989, and 1990–1994). We also investigate whether associations between socioeconomic factors and the ideal number of children differ across birth cohorts, and whether there are any gender differences in these associations. We find that the ideal number of children is lower among more recent than earlier birth cohorts and that this shift is driven by substantially higher child-free ideals among recent cohorts. While the ideal number of children among men and women is associated with socioeconomic factors, birth cohort differences remain significant after controlling for these characteristics. These findings suggest that large birth cohort differences in child-free ideals are not due to the individual socioeconomic circumstances of more recent birth cohorts. Rather, it appears that the childbearing attitudes of Finns have changed and may have contributed to the recent fertility decline.

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Introduction: the relevance of studying fertility across time and space

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Cited by 4 publications

References 56 publications

State of the Nordic Region 2024

State of the Nordic Region 2024

Birth cohort changes in fertility ideals: Evidence from repeated cross-sectional surveys in Finland

Birth cohort changes in fertility ideals: evidence from repeated cross-sectional surveys in Finland

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