The Formation of Desired and Ideal Family Size Among Utah High School Senior Females and Males, 1974
Date of Award:
5-1979
Document Type:
Dissertation
Degree Name:
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department:
Sociology and Anthropology
Department name when degree awarded
Sociology
Committee Chair(s)
Yun Kim
Committee
Yun Kim
Committee
Theral Black
Committee
Bruce Bylund
Committee
William Stinner
Committee
Michael Toney
Committee
Kenneth Lyons
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to measure the direct and indirect relationships between socio-economic and demographic variables and ideal and desired family size preferences among male and female high school seniors in Utah in 1974. Furthermore, the analysis will be carried out separately for males and females in order to see if male and female ideal and desired family size preferences are influenced differently by the socio-economic and demographic variables. A model will be developed and tested of the process by which ideal and desired family size preferences are formulated.
The model used in the analysis is based upon Westoff and Potvin's "theory of ideal family size formation." Westoff and Potvin's "theory of ideal family size formation" states family size of female's is a result of early socialization. The socialization can be influenced by four categories of processes. The four categories are family size in environment variables, social context variables, consistency and continuity in life experiences, and interaction between beliefs and behavior. The socio-economic and demographic variables selected to test this model were size of family of orientation, place of residence, social class, religion, religiosity, desired age at marriage, ideal age at marriage, the number of circumstances females or males would consider acceptable for the use of birth control, and education difference.
The application of Westoff and Potvin's "theory of ideal family size formation" was a better fit for desired family size of females or males than ideal family size of females or males.
Desired family size of females was influenced by religion, religiosity, size of family of orientation, and the number of circumstances females/males find acceptable for the use of birth control. Desired family size of females was also influenced by social class.
Ideal family size of females is different from ideal family size of males. Both ideal family size of females and males was influenced by religion. Ideal family size of males was also influenced by religiosity and social class.
The given socio-economic and demographic variables explained 39 percent of the variation for female desired family size and 29.5 percent of the variation for male desired family size. The given socio-economic and demographic variables explain 4 percent of the variation for female ideal family size and 17 percent of the variation for male ideal family size.
Checksum
0fba386cad15256e302041eaf2aa9ccb
Recommended Citation
Hagen, Linda Rose, "The Formation of Desired and Ideal Family Size Among Utah High School Senior Females and Males, 1974" (1979). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023. 3285.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/3285
Included in
Copyright for this work is retained by the student. If you have any questions regarding the inclusion of this work in the Digital Commons, please email us at .