Values and Disvalues of Children in Successive Childbearing Decisions

The values and disvalues that wives and husbands in the Philippines, South Korea, and the United States attach to having another child are described from national survey data and suggest a multistage model of family formation, with perceptions of successive children linked to periods in family development.

Abstract

The values and disvalues that wives and husbands in the Philippines, South Korea, and the United States attach to having another child are described from national survey data. Loglinear models are used to demonstrate that both country and parity affect value and disvalue rankings, but respondent's sex does not. The differences in values and disvalues across parities suggest a multistage model of family formation, with perceptions of successive children linked to periods in family development. It is argued that this multistage model is consistent with changes in the value of children in the fertility transition.