Analyzing Birth Intervals: Implications for Demographic Theory and Data Collection

In the last decade, the study of birth intervals has been greatly facilitated by a rapid expansion in data availability and by improvements in analytical techniques. Unfortunately, the results emerging from individual level, empirical studies of birth interval dynamics do not correspond with the pre...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sociological forum (Randolph, N.J.) N.J.), 1987-10, Vol.2 (4), p.811-828
Main Authors: Rindfuss, Ronald R., Palmore, James A., Bumpass, Larry L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Birth Spacing
Breastfeeding
Coitus
Contraception
Demography
Fecundity
Fertility
Induced abortion
Intermediate variables
Methodological Problems
Musical intervals
Socioeconomics
Theoretical Problems
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:In the last decade, the study of birth intervals has been greatly facilitated by a rapid expansion in data availability and by improvements in analytical techniques. Unfortunately, the results emerging from individual level, empirical studies of birth interval dynamics do not correspond with the predictions of standard demographic theory. This paper reviews a series of individual level studies that find substantial socioeconomic variation in childspacing after controlling statistically for the major intermediate or proximate variables. It then offers possible explanations for the lack of fit between theory and results at the micro level, concluding that the two most likely explanations are poor measurement of the four principal proximate determinants and the exclusion of additional proximate determinants.
ISSN:0884-8971
1573-7861
DOI:10.1007/BF01124385