Changes in Gender Role Attitudes and Fertility: A Macro-Level Analysis

This study explores whether changes in fertility rates are associated with the diffusion of gender-equitable attitudes. We argue that any positive effect on fertility requires not only that the level of gender-equitable attitudes must be high overall, but also that they are similar for men and women. Our analyses are based on a sample of twenty-seven countries using data from the World Values Surveys and European Values Studies. We find support for a U-shaped relationship between changes in gender role attitudes and fertility: an initial drop in fertility is observed as countries move from a traditional to a more gender symmetric model. Beyond a certain threshold, additional increases in gender egalitarianism become positively associated with fertility. This non-linear relationship is moderated by the difference in attitudes between men and women: when there is more agreement, changes are more rapid and the effect of gender egalitarian attitudes on fertility is stronger