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Author: Kohler, Hans-Peter
Resulting in 2 citations.
1. Kohler, Hans-Peter
Rodgers, Joseph Lee
Skytthe, Axel
Subjective Well-Being, Fertility and Partnerships: A Biodemographic Perspective
Presented: Philadelphia, PA, Population Association of America Annual Meeting, March-April 2005
Cohort(s): NLSY79
Publisher: Population Association of America
Keyword(s): Behavior; Cross-national Analysis; Danish Twin-Omnibus-Survey; Denmark, Danish; Fertility; Genetics; Socioeconomic Factors; Well-Being

Permission to reprint the abstract has not been received from the publisher.

We propose comparative behavior genetic analyzes of subjective well-being, fertility and partnerships from a biodemographic perspective using the 2002 Danish twin omnibus survey and the U.S. National Longitudinal Study of Youth (NLSY). Our preliminary analyzes of the Danish data suggest a systematic positive association between the genetic components of variation in subjective well-being and of variation in fertility/partnership behaviors. For males, for instance, genetic dispositions that tend to increase subjective well-being are associated with a higher number of partnerships, a higher probability of being currently in a partnership, and a larger number of children. The analyzes of the NLSY will augment these analyzes in two dimensions: first, the analyzes reveal whether the results vary across socioeconomic contexts (the U.S. versus Denmark), and second, the longitudinal data in the NLSY allow analyzes of changes in happiness, fertility and partnerships over time, which is impossible in the cross-sectional twin data.
Bibliography Citation
Kohler, Hans-Peter, Joseph Lee Rodgers and Axel Skytthe. "Subjective Well-Being, Fertility and Partnerships: A Biodemographic Perspective." Presented: Philadelphia, PA, Population Association of America Annual Meeting, March-April 2005.
2. Rodgers, Joseph Lee
Hughes, Kimberly
Kohler, Hans-Peter
Christensen, Kaare
Doughty, Debby
Rowe, David C.
Miller, Warren B.
Genetic Influence Helps Explain Variation in Human Fertility: Evidence from Recent Behavioral and Molecular Genetic Studies
Current Directions in Psychological Science 10, 5 (October 2001): 184-188
Cohort(s): NLSY79
Publisher: Blackwell Publishing, Inc. => Wiley Online
Keyword(s): Fertility; Genetics

To search for genetic influence on human fertility differentials appears inconsistent with past empirical research and prior interpretations of Fisher's fundamental theorem of natural selection. We discuss Fisher's theorem and give reasons why genetic influences may indeed account for individual differences in human fertility. We review recent empirical studies showing genetic influence on variance in fertility outcomes and precursors to fertility. Further, some of the genetic variance underlying fertility outcomes overlaps with that underlying fertility precursors. Findings from different cultures, different times, different levels of data, and both behavioral and molecular genetic designs lead to the same conclusion: Fertility differentials are genetically influenced, and at least part of the influence derives from behavioral precursors that are under volitional control, which are themselves genetically mediated.
Bibliography Citation
Rodgers, Joseph Lee, Kimberly Hughes, Hans-Peter Kohler, Kaare Christensen, Debby Doughty, David C. Rowe and Warren B. Miller. "Genetic Influence Helps Explain Variation in Human Fertility: Evidence from Recent Behavioral and Molecular Genetic Studies." Current Directions in Psychological Science 10, 5 (October 2001): 184-188.