title: Voluntary childlessness: a social psychological model.
abstract: This research compares a nonprobability, precision-matched sample of 27 female undergraduates wishing to remain childless with 27 female undergraduates desiring to have children.  The purpose was to test 8 hypotheses in an effort to explain the desire for a childless lifestyle at a relatively early age.  A social psychological model is presented that elucidates some of the influential factors.  The basic idea of the model is that such a choice can be analyzed in terms of 3 basic concepts: 1) family background factors;  2) self-other attitudes;  and 3) reference groups.  The data in this study, although collected at only 1 point in time, support the argument that these concepts play a central role in the decision to remain voluntarily childless.  The family background factors are seen as instigative in the development of autonomy and achievement orientation.  These 2 factors, accompanied by a belief that the advantages associated with childlessness outweigh the advantages associated with childbearing, predispose an individual to desire a childless lifestyle, particularly when these various attitudes are sustained through reference group support.
mesh_terms: D001290:Attitude; D001519:Behavior; D003657:Decision Making; D003710:Demography; D005193:Family Planning Services; D005298:Fertility; D009656:North America; D011153:Population; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011584:Psychology; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014481:United States
keywords: Attitude; Behavior; Comparative Studies; Correlation Of Data; Decision Making; Demographic Factors; Fertility; North America; Population; Population Dynamics; Psychological Factors; Psychosocial Factors; Reproductive Behavior; Research Report; United States; Voluntary Childlessness