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Cited by 160Family Dynamics and RelationshipsEvolutionary Psychology and Human BehaviorCultural Differences and Values

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Why Are Modern Families Small? Toward an Evolutionary and Cultural Explanation for the Demographic Transition

Newson, Lesley, Postmes, Tom, Lea, S. E. G, Webley, Paul·2005·Personality and Social Psychology Review
DOI 10.1207/s15327957pspr0904_5
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Abstract

As societies modernize, they go through what has become known as “the demographic transition;” couples begin to limit the size of their families. Models to explain this change assume that reproductive behavior is either under individual control or under social control. The evidence that social influence plays a role in the control of reproduction is strong, but the models cannot adequately explain why the development of small family norms always accompanies modernization. We suggest that the widening of social networks, which has been found to occur with modernization, is sufficient to explain the change in reproductive norms if it is assumed that (a) advice and comment on reproduction that passes among kin is more likely to encourage the creation of families than that which passes among nonkin and (b) this advice and comment influence the social norms induced from the communications. This would, through a process of cultural evolution, lead to the development of norms that make it increasingly difficult to have large families.

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  • The demographic transition arose from an increase over time in the ratio of non-kin to kin in individuals' social networks.

    “They argue that the demographic transition arose from an increase over time in the ratio of non-kin to kin in individuals' social networks.”

    From Parasite-stress promotes in-group assortative sociality: The cases of strong family ties and heightened religiosity (2012) · cites this paper as Newson et al. 2005

  • Close family ties and kinship interactions especially among maternal relatives promote a culture that favors reproduction and kinship association over non-reproductive and individualistic behaviors and attitudes constituting modernity.

    “Close family ties and kinship interactions especially among maternal relatives promote a culture that favors reproduction and kinship association over non-reproductive and individualistic behaviors and attitudes constituting modernity (Newson & Richerson 2009; Newson et al. 2005).”

    From Parasite-stress promotes in-group assortative sociality: The cases of strong family ties and heightened religiosity (2012) · cites this paper as Newson et al. 2005

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Metadata

Authors
Newson, L., Postmes, T., Lea, S. E. G., & Webley, P.
Affiliations
University of Exeter (GB)
ORCID
Venue
Personality and Social Psychology Review
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2005-11
Volume
9
Issue
4
Pages
360-375
ISSN
  • 1088-8683 (ISSN-L)
  • 1532-7957
DOI
10.1207/s15327957pspr0904_5
OpenAlex
W1997478529
Cited by
160
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 12
FWCI
9.19
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
  • Personality and Social Psychology Review (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Economic and Social Research Council (RES-000-27-0050)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Cultural Differences and Values
Keywords
demographic transition, family size, reproductive behavior, social control of reproduction, family networks, social networks, cultural evolution, reproductive norms, modernization
MeSH terms
Culture, Decision Making, Demography, Biological Evolution, Family, Family Characteristics, Fertility, Humans, Socioeconomic Factors, Reproductive Behavior

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