Fertility, social norms, and the challenges of childbearing in East Asia

In East Asia, high marriage rates coexist with some of the world’s lowest fertility rates. So, why are so few children born in these societies?  And  how is this related to the strongly embedded cultural and Confucianist influences?

Professors Sunha Myong, Jungjae Park, and Junjian Yi investigate the cultural and socioeconomic factors shaping these trends. Using a mathematical model, the team explore how deeply rooted social norms – like unequal childcare and stigma against out-of-wedlock births – impact fertility decisions. Importantly, they examine how shifts in gender roles and government policies could hold the key to reversing declining birth rates.

Read the original research: doi.org/10.1093/jeea/jvaa048