Robert H. Weller

Wife’s employment and cumulative family size in the United States, 1970 and 1960

Using a multiple classification analysis of the data from the I percent public-use samples of the 1960 and 1970 censuses of population, it is found that the negative relationship between wives’ employment and their cumulative family size is stronger among whites than nonwhites and is strongest among women married less than 10 years, with 12 or more years of schooling, and who have no relatives living with them. Moreover, although there are many similarities in the pattern of the employment status/fertility relationship between the 1960 and 1970 data, the relationship is weaker in 1970 than in 1960.

The Effect of Labor Force Participation on the Relation between Migration Status and Fertility in San Juan, Puerto Rico

To determine the effect of labor force participation on the migration-fertility relationship, urban nonmigrants residing in the San Juan (Puerto Rico) Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA) in both 1955 and 1960 were compared with SMSA residents who had migrated from a nonmetropolitan area since 1950. Migration status was determined by husbands and cumulative fertility rates were assessed for wives in 5 groups spanning ages 15-44. Migrant wives averaged 2.7 children compared with 3.1 for nonmigrant wives but urban migration appeared to be age selective; half the migrant wives were below age 30 compared with 39% of their nonmigrant counterparts. Tabulation of age-specific rates indicated that migrants have lower fertility for all cohorts except the 35-44 group which is identical to nonmigrants. While male labor force participation related insignigicantly to migration status, migrant wives were more likely to be employed in white collar jobs than nonmigrants and more likely to be economically active during their most fertile years (ages 20-29). White collar wives displayed lower fertility (1929 children ever born per 1000) than manually working wives (3023 per 1000). The study concludes that both female labor force participation and migration from rural areas to the San Juan SMSA are factors in lower fertility. Rural-urban migration may be selective of a higher achievement orientation.

The Population of the South : structure and change in social demographic context

This book consists of 10 papers on demographic structure and change in the southern region of the United States. The present convergence of demographic patterns in the South with those of the rest of the country is traced and the question of future convergence or differentiation is considered. Papers are included on general demographic change fertility mortality migration population redistribution between 1970 and 1975 the metropolitan system industrialization economic and political perspectives on population change and the demographically emergent South.

THE THREE R'S: RESIDENCE, RELIGION, AND REPRODUCTION

Survey research data collected in Rhode Island over a three year interval are used to test six propositions: 1) Suburbanites have higher family size than central city residents. 2) Any differences in family size between Catholics and non-Catholics are larger in central city than in suburban areas. 3) Within religious categories, suburbanites attend church more regularly. 4) Among Catholics, suburban residence is associated with less frequent Communion reception. 5) Among Catholics, church attendance frequency is positively associated with family size. Among non-Catholics no relationship exists. 6) The frequency with which Catholics receive Communion is more strongly associated positively with family size than is church attendance frequency. Propositions 1, 2 and 5 are rejected. Propositions 4 and 6 are accepted. Proposition 3 is accepted for non-Catholics only.

Excess and deficit fertility in the United States: 1965.

When desired family size is larger than expected family size this has been termed deficit fertility; when desired family size is smaller than expected family size this has been termed excess fertility; and when the two coincide this has been termed congruent fertility. The source of data for this paper is the 1965 National Fertility Study. Analysis was confined to 3130 women who in 1965 were married (first marriage) who were aged 49 or younger who gave numerical responses to items concerning cumulative desired and expected family size and who were either classified as fecund by the original analysts of the data or who had been sterilized for contraceptive purposes. The women included in this analysis desired an average of 3.25 children expected to have 3.54 and already had 2.79. When desired and expected completed family size are compared 54.6% desire the same number they expect to have 27.2% desire fewer children than they expect to have and the remaining 18.2% desire more than they expect to have. (authors)

The structural assimilation of in-migrants to Lima Peru.

The rate of urban growth is extremely high in many less developed countries particularly in Latin America and tends to be more pronounced in the large metropolitan areas than in the smaller urban centers. This rapid growth is attributable to three factors: the growth and subsequent reclassification of previously smaller communities a positive rate of reproductive change among the already existing urban population and massive in-migration (Weller et al. 1971). The magnitude of the latter factor rural-urban migration may be seen in Ducoff’s (1965:202-204) estimate that between 1950 and 1960 there was a net rural-urban migration in Brazil of 6.8 million persons and that there was a rural-urban net migration of over 14 million persons in all of Latin America during that same decade. There appears to be two effects of in-migration upon metropolitan growth. The direct effect can be seen in the number of additional persons that the migrants themselves represent. An illustration of this may be found in the metropolitan area of San Salvador where Ducoff (1962) estimates that 42 percent of the total population were not born there. Other indications of the strength of the direct effect of in-migration upon metropolitan growth may be found in Republica del Peru (1966:23) Simmons and Cardona (1970; 1972) and Browning and Feindt (1968). The indirect effect of in-migrants refers to any children born to in-migrants after they have migrated. Thus Martine (1969; 1972) estimates that female in-migrants account for 45-50 percent of all pregnancies in Guanabara Brazil. (excerpt)

Migration and the Demand for Developmental Disabilities Services

Synthetic estimation techniques are used to project the number of developmentally disabled persons in Florida in the year 2000. This yields an idea of the future number of these persons if migration continues at its current pace. Next, the population is projected on the assumption that no net migration occurs in the future and the same prevalence rates are applied to that projection. The difference in the number of persons with developmental disabilities yielded by the two sets of synthetic projections illustrates the effects of migration upon demand. Demand for developmental disabilities services is projected to increase by 36% over 1985 levels by the year 2000. Only 11% of the projected increase is due to reproductive change among persons already resident in Florida in 1985. The remainder is due to net migration into Florida. Because the movement of persons who are developmentally disabled seems to be part of a general stream of migration to Florida rather than a separate one, the demands placed upon the states infrastructure to prevent deterioration of per capita service levels is affected by decisions made elsewhere and the state must largely react to changes in service demand created by population change rather than playing an active role in shaping it.