The Evolutionary Demography Of The Fertility Mortality Quasi-Equilibrium

    Authors

    A. D. Carey;J. Lopreato

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Popul. Dev. Rev.

    Keywords

    LIFE-HISTORY EVOLUTION; MATERNAL MORTALITY; TRANSITION; DETERMINANTS; EXPERIENCE; BANGLADESH; POPULATION; CHILDREN; PATTERNS; DEMAND; Demography; Sociology

    Abstract

    A close-to-equilibrium relationship between levels of fertility and mortality has characterized most of the history of the human species. On average, women have given birth to two reproductive offspring, plus a small fraction. This quasi-equilibrium is in part the effect of neurobiological and life history characteristics that enhance reproductive success. The latter include cultural factors, age at sexual maturity, fecundity, family size, duration of the reproductive period, age-specific probabilities of survival, and epigenetic rules that guide response to changing environmental conditions. Among such rules, the authors hypothesize a ''two-child psychology.'' Its basic operative mechanisms seem to be: (1) a neurobiological capacity to respond to certain environmental stimuli useful to gauge probabilities of offspring survival, and (2) a quest for creature comforts. The greater the perceived probability of offspring survival within a population, the more intense the two-child psychology. The greater the quest for creature comforts, the keener and more widespread the two-child psychology.

    Journal Title

    Population and Development Review

    Volume

    21

    Issue/Number

    3

    Publication Date

    1-1-1995

    Document Type

    Note

    Language

    English

    First Page

    613

    Last Page

    &

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:A1995TD51500006

    ISSN

    0098-7921

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