Explaining Fertility Intentions Among Non-Assimilated Hispanic Immigrant Women Living in the U.S.: A Rational Choice Reinforced by Social Identity?

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Barros de Redard, M. (2017). Explaining Fertility Intentions Among Non-Assimilated Hispanic Immigrant Women Living in the U.S.: A Rational Choice Reinforced by Social Identity?. Unc Charlotte Electronic Theses And Dissertations.
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Abstract

Research on the assimilation of Hispanic immigrants in the United States isabundant; however, fewer studies have examined the effect of assimilation on Hispanicimmigrant women and childbirth. Prior research has documented that the fertility rateamong Hispanics is higher than among other racial/ethnic groups in the United States.This analysis aims at understanding Hispanic women’s motivation for childbirth from asociological perspective. What motivates intentions for fertility among this minority? Canthis be explained by the Weberian view of individuals’ default role of an instrumentalrational actor? If so, do Mead’s perspectives of symbolic human interactions contribute toexplaining fertility intentions and, thus, sub-sequent behavior? Using publicly availabledata from the National Survey of Fertility Barriers (NSFB) collected between 2004 and2007, logistic regression equations were created using assimilation, human and socialcapital measures, and a social identity measure to assess motivations for childbirth amongHispanics, with a special emphasis on the non-assimilated sub-group. The results showthat non-assimilated Hispanic immigrant women have higher fertility intentions than theassimilated group and maximize social capital at larger family size than their assimilatedcounterparts. Motherhood social identity does not predict fertility intentions among non-assimilatedHispanic immigrant women; however, it does so for the assimilated Hispanicwomen. The contribution of children as generators of social capital for their parents canbe a strategy for adaptation for non-assimilated Hispanic immigrant women and, as such,an explanation for fertility intentions that draws on rational choice theories.

Details
Author

Barros de Redard, Maria

Title

Explaining Fertility Intentions Among Non-Assimilated Hispanic Immigrant Women Living in the U.S.: A Rational Choice Reinforced by Social Identity?

Physical Description

1 online resource (66 pages) : PDF

Date

2017

Degree Granting Institution

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Abstract

Research on the assimilation of Hispanic immigrants in the United States isabundant; however, fewer studies have examined the effect of assimilation on Hispanicimmigrant women and childbirth. Prior research has documented that the fertility rateamong Hispanics is higher than among other racial/ethnic groups in the United States.This analysis aims at understanding Hispanic women’s motivation for childbirth from asociological perspective. What motivates intentions for fertility among this minority? Canthis be explained by the Weberian view of individuals’ default role of an instrumentalrational actor? If so, do Mead’s perspectives of symbolic human interactions contribute toexplaining fertility intentions and, thus, sub-sequent behavior? Using publicly availabledata from the National Survey of Fertility Barriers (NSFB) collected between 2004 and2007, logistic regression equations were created using assimilation, human and socialcapital measures, and a social identity measure to assess motivations for childbirth amongHispanics, with a special emphasis on the non-assimilated sub-group. The results showthat non-assimilated Hispanic immigrant women have higher fertility intentions than theassimilated group and maximize social capital at larger family size than their assimilatedcounterparts. Motherhood social identity does not predict fertility intentions among non-assimilatedHispanic immigrant women; however, it does so for the assimilated Hispanicwomen. The contribution of children as generators of social capital for their parents canbe a strategy for adaptation for non-assimilated Hispanic immigrant women and, as such,an explanation for fertility intentions that draws on rational choice theories.

Genre

masters theses

Subjects--Topics

Women's studies
Social sciences
Ethnicity--Study and teaching
Hispanic Americans--Study and teaching

Degree

M.A.

Keywords

Assimilation
Fertility
Hispanics
Immigrants
Women

Subject Area

Sociology

Advisor(s)

Fitzgerald, Scott
Cao, Yang

Committee Members

Moller, Stephanie

Degree Note

Thesis (M.A.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2017.

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Rights Holder Information

Copyright is held by the author unless otherwise indicated.

Identifier

BarrosdeRedard_uncc_0694N_11446

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13093/etd:617