S/T Social Psychology

Reproductive Decisions.  Will an individual try to have children?  If so, how many?  Such decisions are among life's most important, and they are strongly influenced by cultural and economic factors, as well as mate availability and preferences.  Cultural and economic situations have changed drastically, and, as a result, recent years have seen a sharp worldwide decline in birthrate, and exceedingly low birthrates in contemporary Europe and Japan.  This "fertility transition" and its consequences are the central topics of this seminar.  In spite of the momentous personal, social, political, and economic implications of the fertility transition, psychologists have had remarkably little to say about it, so much of the reading in this seminar is drawn from history, sociology, and demography.  Special topics are the history of contraception in this country, and contemporary women's career-family conflicts.  A preliminary syllabus is posted at http://psych.upenn.edu/courses/psych270hrd/syl270p04.htm