Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T18:39:00.758Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Motivations for Childbearing Among Malaysians

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

Poo-Kong Kee
Affiliation:
East–West Population Institute, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

Summary

Economic reasons for wanting children predominate among 541 Malaysian adults and 2014 children, followed by happiness, love, and companionship, the latter group especially in several subgroups of young Malaysians identified as demographic innovators. Five empirically constructed value and cost of children indices with known reliability were used to predict variation in the achieved family size of parents as well as the desired family sizes of parents and children. Completeness of family appeared to be the best predictor of achieved family size, whereas intrinsic value of a large family was generally a good predictor of family size preferences.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © 1982, Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Andrews, F.M., Morgan, J.N., Sonquist, J.A. & Klem, L. (1973) Multiple Classification Analysis: A Report on a Computer Program for Multiple Regression Using Categorical Predictors. Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.Google Scholar
Arnold, F., Bulatao, R.A., Buripakdi, C., Chung, B.J., Fawcett, J.T., Lee, S.J. & Wu, T.S. (1975) The Value of Children: A Cross-National Study. Vol. 1. Introduction and Comparative Analysis. East-West Population Institute, Honolulu.Google Scholar
Arnold, F. & Fawcett, J.T. (1975) The Value of Children: A Cross-National Study. Vol. 3, Hawaii. East-West Population Institute, Honolulu.Google Scholar
Becker, G.S. (1960) An economic analysis of fertility. In: Demographic and Economic Change in Developed Nations, p. 209. Edited by National Bureau of Economic Research. Princeton University Press, Princeton.Google Scholar
Berelson, B. (1976) Social science research on population: a review. Popul. Dev. Rev. 2, 219.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bulatao, R.A. (1975) The Value of Children: A Cross-National Study. Vol. 2.Philippines. East-West Population Institute, Honolulu.Google Scholar
Bulatao, R.A. (1979) Further Evidence of the Transition in the Value of Children. Paper No. 60-B, East-West Population Institute, Honolulu.Google Scholar
Buripakdi, C. (1977) The Value of Children: A Cross-National Study. Vol. 4. Thailand. East-West Population Institute, Honolulu.Google Scholar
Cain, M.T. (1977) The economic activities of children in a village in Bangladesh. Popul. Dev. Rev. 3, 201.Google Scholar
Caldwell, J.C. (1976) Toward a restatement of demographic transition theory. Popul. Dev. Rev. 2, 321.Google Scholar
Callan, V.J. (1980) The Value of Children of Australian, Greek, and Italian Parents in Sydney. Paper No. 60-C, East-West Population Institute, Honolulu.Google Scholar
Cronbach, L.J. (1951) Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika, 6, 297.Google Scholar
Darroch, R.K., Meyer, P.A. & Singarimbun, M. (1981) Two Are Not Enough: The Value of Children to Javanese and Sundanese Parents. Paper No. 60-D, East-West Population Institute, Honolulu.Google Scholar
Hoffman, L.W. & Hoffman, M.L. (1973) The value of children to parents. In: Psychological Perspectives on Population p. 19. Edited by Fawcett., J. T.Basic Books, New York.Google Scholar
Hoffman, L.W., Thornton, A. & Manis, J.D. (1978) The value of children to parents in the United States. J. Popul. 1, 91.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Iritani, T. (1979) The Value of Children: A Cross-National Study. Vol. 6. Japan. East–West Population Institute, Honolulu.Google Scholar
Kagitcibasi, C. (1980) The value of children: some social-psychological determinants of fertility in Turkey. In: Demographic Transition and Socio-Economic Development, p. 140. Population Studies No. 65. United Nations, New York.Google Scholar
Kee, P.K.(1980) Fertility Values of Children and Parents in Peninsular Malaysia: A Cross-Cultural Study of Malays, Chinese, and Indians. PhD thesis, Department of Psychology.Google Scholar
Lee, S.J. & Kim, J.O. (1979) The Value of Children: A Cross-National Study. Vol. 7. Korea. East–West Population Institute, Honolulu.Google Scholar
Nag, M., Peet, R.C. & White, B. (1978) An anthropological approach to the study of economic value of children in Java and Nepal. Curr. Anthrop. 19, 293.Google Scholar
Schultz, T. (1973) The value of children: an economic perspective. J. polit. Econ. 81, 2.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Westoff, C.F., Potter, R.G., Sagi, P.C. & Mishler, E.G. (1961) Family Growth in Metropolitan America. Princeton University Press, Princeton.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wu, T.S. (1977) The Value of Children: A Cross-National Study. Vol. 5. Taiwan. East–West Population Institute, Honolulu.Google Scholar