title: Childlessness and social mobility during the baby boom.
abstract: America's post-war baby boom was an era of high fertility and widespread pronatalism.  Supposedly, few couples during this time were childless by choice.  However, by using a special census sample, this study shows that voluntary childlessness was relatively common in certain upwardly mobile segments of the population during the baby boom.  In particular, the results support the classic Dumont-Banks model of status enhancement and fertility, which states that couples with the greatest disadvantages must make the greatest sacrifices of child-centered behavior.  The theoretical implications of the findings are discussed and suggestions for future research proposed.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Boyd
mesh_terms: D000569:Americas; D003710:Demography; D019049:Developed Countries; D004467:Economics; D004522:Educational Status; D005193:Family Planning Services; D005298:Fertility; D007182:Income; D009656:North America; D011153:Population; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011158:Population Growth; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012922:Social Change; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States
keywords: Americas; Baby Boom; Demographic Factors; Developed Countries; Economic Factors; Educational Status; Fertility--changes; Income; North America; Northern America; Population; Population Dynamics; Reproductive Behavior; Social Change; Socioeconomic Factors; Socioeconomic Status--changes; United States; Voluntary Childlessness