How Do Changes in Gender Role Attitudes Towards Female Employment Influence Fertility? A Macro-Level Analysis
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This study explores whether the diffusion of gender-equitable attitudes towards female employment is associated with fertility. We argue that any positive effect on fertility requires not only high levels of gender-equitable attitudes overall, but also attitude convergence between men and women. We analyse 27 countries using data from the World Values Surveys and European Values Studies. We find support for a U-shaped relationship between changes in gender role attitudes and fertility: an initial drop in fertility is observed as countries move from a traditional to a more gender-symmetric model. Beyond a certain threshold, additional increases in gender egalitarianism become positively associated with fertility. This curvi-linear relationship is moderated by the difference in attitudes between men and women: when there is more agreement, changes are more rapid and the effect of gender egalitarian attitudes on fertility strengthens.
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There is a U-shaped relationship between norms toward gender equality and fertility.
“which is in line with the findings of Arpino et al. (2015), who report a U-shaped relationship between norms toward gender equality and fertility.”
From Fertility in High-Income Countries: Trends, Patterns, Determinants, and Consequences (2024) · cites this paper as Arpino et al. 2015
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Fertility in High-Income Countries: Trends, Patterns, Determinants, and Consequences
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Fertility in High-Income Countries: Trends, Patterns, Determinants, and Consequences
Bloom, D. E., Kuhn, M., & Prettner, K. (2023) · doi:10.2139/ssrn.4597716 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
- Authors
- Arpino, B., Esping-Andersen, G., & Pessin, L.
- Affiliations
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (ES)
- Corresponding author
- Arpino, Bruno
- Venue
- European Sociological Review
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2015-02-16
- Volume
- 31
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 370-382
- ISSN
- 0266-7215 (ISSN-L)
- 1468-2672
- OpenAlex
- W2153832460
- Cited by
- 175
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 3
- FWCI
- 31.14
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- European Sociological Review (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Florence Research (University of Florence) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Social Science Open Access Repository (GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Repositori digital de la UPF (Universitat Pompeu Fabra) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Padua Research Archive (University of Padova) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra
- European Commission
- FP7 Ideas: European Research Council (269387)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender, Labor, and Family Dynamics
- Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences
- Keywords
- gender role attitudes, women's employment, fertility, gender egalitarianism, gender role change, U-shaped relationship, cross-national comparison, traditional gender roles
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