An evolutionary ecological perspective on demographic transitions: modeling multiple currencies.
Life history theory postulates tradeoffs of current versus future reproduction; today women face evolutionarily novel versions of these tradeoffs. Optimal age at first birth is the result of tradeoffs in fertility and mortality; ceteris paribus, early reproduction is advantageous. Yet modern women in developed nations experience relatively late first births; they appear to be trading off socioeconomic status and the paths to raised SES, education and work, against early fertility. Here, [1] using delineating parameter values drawn from data in the literature, we model these tradeoffs to determine how much socioeconomic advantage will compensate for delayed first births and lower lifetime fertility; and [2] we examine the effects of work and education on women's lifetime and age-specific fertility using data from seven cohorts in the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID).
Low
Bobbi S
BS
School of Natural Resources and Environment Population Studies Center, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Simon
Carl P
CP
Anderson
Kermyt G
KG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001721:Birth Intervals; D001723:Birth Rate; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011247:Pregnancy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors