Who marries whom and intentions for second child: Using family decision-making power as mediator.
Interest in exploring fertility intentions, decisions, or the actual number of children through the perspective of assortative mating has been increasing; however, the mechanisms linking these variables remain unclear. Existing studies have shown that gaps in socio-economic resources between spouses...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0326733 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1839634446694744064 |
|---|---|
| author | Yuan Dang Xin Liu |
| author_facet | Yuan Dang Xin Liu |
| author_sort | Yuan Dang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Interest in exploring fertility intentions, decisions, or the actual number of children through the perspective of assortative mating has been increasing; however, the mechanisms linking these variables remain unclear. Existing studies have shown that gaps in socio-economic resources between spouses shape intra-household decision-making patterns. Individuals who have the final-say power over homemaking exhibit more bargaining power in family fertility decisions. Based on the 2014 China Family Panel Studies, this research used latent class analysis to obtain the intra-household decision-making variable. A generalized structural equation model was built to examine this potential mediator. The findings reveal that family decision-making power helps to elucidate the relationship between the patterns of assortative mating and fertility intentions. Differences in couples' educational attainment are a key aspect in assessing "who" is in charge of the household. The desire for a second child was greater if husbands had the final say. Participants in marriages where wives held decision-making power reported a lower willingness to have a second child. The mediation effects of "husband-dominated" or "wife-dominated" decision-making were confirmed in hypergamous marriage. Indirect-only mediating effects were found in mid-educated homogamous partnerships and hypogamous marriages. Suppression effects were present in educational homogamy among highly educated individuals. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e09da3b045fb46cc95fceeb2c2ae993c |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj-art-e09da3b045fb46cc95fceeb2c2ae993c2025-07-10T05:31:48ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01206e032673310.1371/journal.pone.0326733Who marries whom and intentions for second child: Using family decision-making power as mediator.Yuan DangXin LiuInterest in exploring fertility intentions, decisions, or the actual number of children through the perspective of assortative mating has been increasing; however, the mechanisms linking these variables remain unclear. Existing studies have shown that gaps in socio-economic resources between spouses shape intra-household decision-making patterns. Individuals who have the final-say power over homemaking exhibit more bargaining power in family fertility decisions. Based on the 2014 China Family Panel Studies, this research used latent class analysis to obtain the intra-household decision-making variable. A generalized structural equation model was built to examine this potential mediator. The findings reveal that family decision-making power helps to elucidate the relationship between the patterns of assortative mating and fertility intentions. Differences in couples' educational attainment are a key aspect in assessing "who" is in charge of the household. The desire for a second child was greater if husbands had the final say. Participants in marriages where wives held decision-making power reported a lower willingness to have a second child. The mediation effects of "husband-dominated" or "wife-dominated" decision-making were confirmed in hypergamous marriage. Indirect-only mediating effects were found in mid-educated homogamous partnerships and hypogamous marriages. Suppression effects were present in educational homogamy among highly educated individuals.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0326733 |
| spellingShingle | Yuan Dang Xin Liu Who marries whom and intentions for second child: Using family decision-making power as mediator. PLoS ONE |
| title | Who marries whom and intentions for second child: Using family decision-making power as mediator. |
| title_full | Who marries whom and intentions for second child: Using family decision-making power as mediator. |
| title_fullStr | Who marries whom and intentions for second child: Using family decision-making power as mediator. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Who marries whom and intentions for second child: Using family decision-making power as mediator. |
| title_short | Who marries whom and intentions for second child: Using family decision-making power as mediator. |
| title_sort | who marries whom and intentions for second child using family decision making power as mediator |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0326733 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yuandang whomarrieswhomandintentionsforsecondchildusingfamilydecisionmakingpowerasmediator AT xinliu whomarrieswhomandintentionsforsecondchildusingfamilydecisionmakingpowerasmediator |