Volume 24 - Article 20 | Pages 469–496
Gender equality and fertility intentions revisited: Evidence from Finland
| Date received: | 17 Mar 2010 |
| Date published: | 18 Mar 2011 |
| Word count: | 7409 |
| Keywords: | Europe, fertility, Finland, gender attitudes, gender roles, men |
| DOI: | 10.4054/DemRes.2011.24.20 |
Abstract
Stimulated by the recent debate on gender roles and men’s fertility behaviour (Puur et al. 2008; Westoff and Higgins 2009; Goldscheider, Oláh and Puur 2010), we present evidence from Finland as a country well into the second phase of the so-called gender revolution. We examine how gender role attitudes relate to childbearing intentions at the onset of family life, intentions to have many (3 or more) children, and high personal fertility ideals among low-parity men and women. Gender equality attitudes are measured for both the public and the domestic sphere and the influence of work and family orientation is controlled for. Finding signs of a U-shaped association among men, we conclude that both traditional and egalitarian attitudes raise men’s expected fertility compared to men with intermediate gender attitudes and independently of family values. Among Finnish women the impact of gender attitudes is smaller and more ambiguous.
Author's Affiliation
Anneli Miettinen - Väestöliitto (Population Research Institute), Finland
Stuart Gietel-Basten - Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong
Anna Rotkirch - Väestöliitto (Population Research Institute), Finland
Other articles by the same author/authors in Demographic Research
»
Certainty of meeting fertility intentions declines in Europe during the 'Great Recession'
Volume 31 - Article 23
»
The impact of grandparental investment on mothers’ fertility intentions in four European countries
Volume 31 - Article 1
»
Modelling the constraints on consanguineous marriage when fertility declines
Volume 30 - Article 9
»
Very long range global population scenarios to 2300 and the implications of sustained low fertility
Volume 28 - Article 39
»
Does his paycheck also matter?: The socioeconomic resources of co-residential partners and entry into parenthood in Finland
Volume 28 - Article 31
Most recent similar articles in Demographic Research
»
Reconciling studies of men’s gender attitudes and fertility: Response to Westoff and Higgins
Volume 22 - Article 8 | Keywords: Europe, fertility, gender attitudes, gender roles, men
»
Does his paycheck also matter?: The socioeconomic resources of co-residential partners and entry into parenthood in Finland
Volume 28 - Article 31 | Keywords: fertility, Finland, men
»
Relationships between men´s gender attitudes and fertility: Response to Puur et al.'s "Men’s childbearing desires and views of the male role in Europe at the dawn of the 21st century"
Volume 21 - Article 3 | Keywords: fertility, gender roles, men
»
The sex preference for children in Europe: Children’s sex and the probability and timing of births
Volume 48 - Article 8 | Keywords: Europe, fertility
»
Attitudinal and behavioural indices of the second demographic transition: Evidence from the last three decades in Europe
Volume 44 - Article 46 | Keywords: Europe, fertility
Articles
Citations
Cited References: 39
»View the references of this article
Download to Citation Manager
Similar Articles
PubMed
»Articles by Stuart Gietel-Basten
Google Scholar
»Articles by Stuart Gietel-Basten